Data Mapping Helps Computers Connect, Trade InformationNeed to interface your business' computer system with another business' computer system? Dealing with two different computer languages? Can this problem be overcome? Sure it can! Data mapping gives two different computer systems that speak two different computer languages the ability to transport information back and forth without error. Let's take a real world example, for instance, a company that sells spatulas called Spatulas Limited decides it wants to branch out and start marketing to other companies that sell various kitchen utensils. The company's CEO decides to contact the All Kitchens Company (AKC) to begin negotiations to set up a data management system so AKC can order as many spatulas as it needs for specific orders. After speaking with each other, the deal is struck, but wait…there is a little bit of a problem. Spatulas Limited uses an AS-400 mainframe system that uses RPGIII programming as its data source and AKC uses a PC based system programmed in C++. The problem is obvious, two different computer data systems, two different software languages that do not natively speak each other's language. So, is there a data solution, can AKC overcome this barrier? Yes, thanks to data mapping. Data mapping is a process that allows two separate computer systems to speak to each other and transfer data between them without error. Since the RPGIII and C++ will not speak to each other natively, the data mapping software will connect both systems together and therefore allow interconnectivity. Data mapping works by looking at the data on both systems and identifying what data is stored on each. Then the software compares the data contained on each and identifies similar data fields in the data sets using a program called an index. The index contains a list of similar data fields for the system to compare and gives the mapping program a guide to which data to look at and data to ignore. The program then compares the data that matches, and transfers the data between the two systems so neither company has to buy new software or computer systems to communicate. Mapping systems can also consolidate the data from both computer systems into one database program so smoother processing of transactions can occur for things like e-commerce. For instance let's say the two companies decide to start a company together to simplify e-commerce of their products. All e-commerce orders are filtered through the data mapping software. Once the transactions are completed both data systems are updated with the transaction. Finally, a record of the inventory change is pulled from both computers and updated on each system's database. So even if your business wants to do business with another company whose computers speak a different language from yours, data mapping can help. With proper use of this software, two computer systems speaking two different languages can transfer data without error and your business can run smoothly. |