A source-to-target map is a table that says where each piece of data comes from, where it goes, and what happens to it on the way. It sounds simple. Most integration bugs I have seen trace back to a row that was missing or wrong.
I have built these maps for intake systems, case management platforms, and healthcare data warehouses. The format changes a little each time. The discipline does not.
What a good map includes
- Source system, table, and field
- Target system, table, and field
- Transformation rules written in plain language
- Data types, lengths, and required fields
- Who approved each mapping, and when