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  1. Preface
  2. Mappings
  3. Mapping tutorial
  4. Parameters
  5. CLAIRE recommendations
  6. Data catalog discovery
  7. Visio templates

Mappings

Mappings

Rules and guidelines for configuring a Visio template

Rules and guidelines for configuring a Visio template

Use the following general rules and guidelines for configuring a Visio template:
  • Use the Source Definition object for all source types.
  • For database and flat file sources, use the Source Qualifier object. For all other source types, use the Application Source Qualifier object.
  • You can use any target object to represent different target types.
  • The following objects are not supported at this time:
    • Unconnected Salesforce lookups
    • Unconnected stored procedure
    • Related Salesforce sources
  • When naming a link, use a name that describes the rules associated with the link. This allows you to understand a data flow without having to read the rules for each link.
  • Do not create a Mapplet object in the
    Cloud Integration Template Designer
    . You can use a Mapplet object in a Visio template if you can create the mapplet as part of a PowerCenter task and export the PowerCenter mapping XML to be used as a Visio template.
  • When you configure a data flow that contains expression macros and template parameters to use the field mapping input control, keep them in different Expression objects. Use one Expression object for the expression macros, and another for the field mapping template parameters.
  • Use the
    Data Integration
    transformation language to define expressions.
  • For a Normalizer object, generated key values are reset with each job. For a Sequence Generator object, generated key sequence values are also reset with each job.
  • When you configure multiple group by ports for an Aggregator object, use a semicolon to separate field names. If you create a template parameter for group by ports, you might add a template parameter description when you upload the Visio template.
  • You can use connected stored procedures and stored functions in a mapplet or in the data flow. Use the following guidelines when using stored procedure objects:
    • Define the stored procedure in the Expression Text property by stating the stored procedure name, input fields, and output fields:
      <Stored Procedure Name>(<inputfield1 datatype>(<precision>,<scale>) IN <inputfield1>, <inputfield2 datatype>(<precision>,<scale>) IN <inputfield2>... <outputfield1 datatype>(<precision>,<scale>) OUT <outputfield1>, <outputfield1 datatype>(<precision>,<scale>) OUT <outputfield2>...)
    • Match the order of the fields with the order of the template parameters defined in the stored procedure.
    • Connect all fields in a stored procedure object.
    • When a stored procedure is used in the data flow, you can parameterize the expression text to reuse same template with different stored procedures. In this case, the input and output link rules for the stored procedure object also needs to be parameterized and link rules mapping should maintain the order of the stored procedure template parameters.
    • To use a stored function, enter the following syntax in the Expression Text property:
      <return value datatype>(<precision>,<scale>)<Stored Function Name>(<inputfield1 datatype>(<precision>,<scale>) IN <inputfield1>, <inputfield2 datatype>(<precision>,<scale>) IN <inputfield2>... <outputfield1 datatype>(<precision>,<scale>) OUT <outputfield1>, <outputfield1 datatype>(<precision>,<scale>) OUT <outputfield2>...)
    • If issues with string datatypes occur, use the NSTRING datatype for string values.
  • The field mapping input control appends "_OUT" to the field mapping output field names. When you plan to use a field mapping input control for a template parameter, use a link rule to move output fields with the _OUT suffix to the next object in the data flow.
  • When you plan to use a field mapping input control to write data to multiple targets with matching field names and matching datatypes, precision, and scale, connecting one field in one target results in writing data to matching fields in both targets. If the target fields have the same name, but different datatypes, precision, or scale, you can map one of the target fields.
  • Avoid using Mapplet objects or multiple targets to a data flow after a field mapping input control.
  • When you use multiple instances of the same source object, use a unique table name for each instance of the source. Similarly, when you use more than one instance of a target object, use a unique table name for each instance of the target. And when you use more than one instance of a lookup, use a unique table name for each instance of the lookup.
  • You can use the %ALL% expression macro in an expression to represent all field names in a transformation. For more information, see "Using the %ALL% Keyword in an Expression" in the
    Informatica PowerCenter Mapping Architect for Visio Guide
    .
  • Use an Update Strategy object only when the target table has keys defined.
  • In Custom Transformation objects, do not configure a field as both an input and output field and do not include all input fields in the OUTPUT group.
  • To include the fields from a Custom Transformation in field mappings, set the Fixed Ports property to YES.

Tips for working with the
Cloud Integration Template Designer

Use the following tips when working with the
Cloud Integration Template Designer
:
  • Enable macros in Microsoft Visio to enable full functionality for the
    Cloud Integration Template Designer
    .
  • For Mapping Architect for Visio 2010, the Informatica toolbar displays on the Add-Ins tab.
  • Use the Show Parameters icon on the Informatica toolbar to see the template parameters declared in a Visio templates that use the $<template_parameter_name>$ syntax.
  • Use the Validate Mapping Template icon on the Informatica toolbar to perform basic validation.
  • You can cut and paste objects within a Visio template. However, you might encounter errors if you try to copy and paste across different Visio templates.
  • When you configure a link, Mapping Architect for Visio indicates that the link is connected to an object by highlighting the object. Connect both sides of the link.
  • The Mapping Architect for Visio Dictionary link rule is not supported at this time.
  • For general information about using Mapping Architect for Visio, see the Mapping Architect for Visio documentation. The Mapping Architect for Visio documentation is available in the Informatica Cloud Developer Community: https://network.informatica.com/docs/DOC-15318.
The following Mapping Architect for Visio functionality is not relevant to creating Visio templates for
Data Integration
:
  • The Declare Mapping Parameters and Variables icon on the Informatica toolbar.
  • The <template_name>_<param>.xml file created when you publish a template. Do not use this file.

Template parameter rules and guidelines

Use the following rules and guidelines when configuring template parameters in a template:
  • To avoid confusion when defining values for a template parameter, use a logical name for each template parameter and use a unique name for each template parameter in a template.
  • When you parameterize a user-defined join, use the fully-qualified name in the parameter value.
  • You can use the Show Parameters icon on the Informatica toolbar to view all template parameters in the file.
  • Template parameter names and values are case-sensitive unless otherwise noted.

Tips for PowerCenter mapping XML templates

Use the following tips for Visio templates created from PowerCenter mapping XML files:
  • Rename sources, targets, lookups, and link rules in the Visio template to provide meaningful names. Sources, targets, and lookups become template parameters automatically in an uploaded Visio template.
  • You can include the following PowerCenter objects in a Visio template:
    • Aggregator
    • Application Source Qualifier
    • BAPI/RFC transformation
    • Expression
    • Joiner
    • Lookup
    • Mapplets
    • Normalizer
    • Rank
    • Router
    • SAP/ALE IDoc Prepare
    • Sequence Generator (connected only)
    • Source
    • Source Qualifier
    • Sorter
    • Stored Procedure (connected only)
    • Target
    • Transaction Control
    • Union
    • Update Strategy
    • Web Services transformation
    • XML transformation
  • You can use the following PowerCenter objects in a Visio template only when included in a mapplet:
    • HTTP transformation
    • Java transformation
    • SQL transformation
    • Unstructured Data transformation
  • Do not create a Mapplet object in the
    Cloud Integration Template Designer
    . You can use a Mapplet object in a Visio template if you can create the mapplet as part of a PowerCenter task and export the PowerCenter mapping XML to be used as a Visio template.
  • Do not rename mapplets in Visio templates. Keep mapplet names as exported from PowerCenter.
  • Do not use the same mapplet more than once in a Visio template.
  • Use only one connection type in a mapplet.
  • Do not use PowerCenter mapping parameters and variables in Visio templates. PowerCenter mapping parameters and variables are not supported.
  • Do not use the PowerCenter $Source or $Target variables in mapplets.
  • When joining two sources with a single source qualifier, configure a user-defined join in the source qualifier. Query overrides are not supported.

Tips for
Data Integration
workflow XML templates

Use the following tips for Visio templates created from
Data Integration
workflow XML files:
  • Rename sources, targets, lookups, and link rules in the Visio template to provide meaningful names. Sources, targets, and lookups become template parameters automatically in an uploaded Visio template.

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