After you add and configure source, target, and transformation objects in a mapping, complete the mapping by connecting the mapping objects. You connect mapping objects through the ports. Data passes into and out of a transformation through the following ports:

Every source instance, target instance, mapplet, and transformation contains a collection of ports. Each port represents a column of data:

To connect ports, you drag between ports in different mapping objects. The Designer validates the connection and creates the connection only when the connection meets link validation and concatenation requirements.

You can leave ports unconnected. The Integration Service ignores unconnected ports.