DATA MAPPING AND IMPORT SYSTEM

• US 20090024639A1
• Filed: 07/18/2007
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Steinmann, Joerg
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems

Abstract

A computer-implemented method related to a data mapping and import system is disclosed. A source file including a plurality of data records may be received, each data record comprising a sequence of data segments associated with source data. A target data structure comprising a plurality of target fields to which to import the source data of the source file may be identified. A mapping format comprising associations between each of the data segments for the plurality of data records and a target field of the plurality of target fields. And the source data from each of the data segments of each of the plurality of data records may be imported into the target field associated with each data segment based on the mapping format.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a source file including a plurality of data records, each data record comprising a sequence of data segments associated with source data;

identifying a target data structure comprising a plurality of target fields, based on a class associated with the target data structure;

defining a mapping format comprising associations between each of the data segments for the plurality of data records and a target field of the plurality of target fields; and

importing the source data from each of the data segments of each of the plurality of data records into the target field associated with each data segment based on the mapping format and the class.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving a source file comprises determining the sequence of data segments based on an identification of a separator separating a first data segment from a second data segment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving a source file comprises determining that the sequence of data segments is identical for each data record.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving a source file comprises receiving the sequence of data segments wherein each data segment corresponds to a data type.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the association between a data segment and a target field is based on the data type.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying a target data structure comprises identifying the class, from one or more classes, wherein the class provides an interface to accessing the target data structure.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the identifying comprises determining the plurality of target fields based on the class.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the defining comprises:

identifying the associations between each of the data segments for the plurality of data records and the plurality of target fields; and

determining the mapping format based on the associations.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the importing comprises:

processing the source data from one or more of the data segments based on the mapping format; and

importing the processed source data into the target data structure based on the mapping format.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a selection of a source file including a plurality of data records, each data record comprising a sequence of data segments associated with source data;

determining one or more classes identifying one or more target data structures, based on a mapping format associated with the source data, the one or more target data structures comprising a plurality of target fields;

identifying one or more of the target fields, to which to import the source data of the source file, based on the mapping format; and

importing the source data of the source file into the target fields of the one or more target data structures based on the mapping format, the mapping format comprising, for each of the data segments for the plurality of data records, associations between each data segment and a target field of the one or more target fields, wherein the source data of each data segment for each data record is imported into the target field associated with the data segment.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the receiving comprises uploading the source data from the source file.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the receiving comprises parsing the source data for one or more separators separating the data segments.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the determining comprises receiving a selection of the mapping format from a plurality of mapping formats, wherein each mapping format is associated with one or more source files.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the determining comprises determining the one or more classes, wherein the one or more classes are configured to provide an interface to accessing the target data structure.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining comprises identifying the target fields of the one or more target data structures based on the one or more classes.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the importing comprises:

determining the associations between each of the data segments for the plurality of data records and the target fields; and

importing the source data from each data segment for each record to the target fields based on the associations.

17. A system comprising:

a data parser configured to determine a sequence of data segments associated with each of a plurality of data records of a source file based on an identification of a separator separating a first data segment from a second data segment, each data segment including source data;

a target locator configured to identify one or more target data structures, including one or more target fields associated therewith, based on one or more classes associated with the one or more target data structures;

a mapping definition engine configured to determine a mapping format including an association between each of the data segments of the sequence and one or more of the target fields; and

an import engine configured to import the source data from the source file to the target fields of the one or more data structures based on the mapping format.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising value mapping logic configured to determine one or more data processing steps to be performed based on the associations between each of the data segments of the sequence and the target fields.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising a view generator configured to provide an interface associated with determining the mapping format.

20. The system of claim 17 further comprising a class logic configured to determine an association between a class and a target data structure.