Processes
What is Data Mapping?
Data mapping is the process of defining how data fields from a source (a PDF invoice, a bank export file) correspond to fields in a destination system (an ERP, a spreadsheet, a database).
Explanation
Data mapping is the translation layer between how data appears in a source document and how it needs to appear in your system of record. An invoice might label a field 'Invoice Total' while your ERP expects 'net_amount'. A bank statement might have date in DD/MM/YYYY format while your system requires YYYY-MM-DD. Defining these mappings is a setup step in any automation workflow. In traditional ETL, data mapping required developer effort. In modern accounting automation platforms, mappings can be defined by accountants in plain language as part of Blueprint configuration.
How Rima relates
Data mapping is part of Blueprint setup in Rima — you define how extracted fields map to your ERP fields or Excel columns once, and Rima applies the mapping automatically.
Learn about workflow setupRelated Terms
ETL (Extract, Transform, Load)
A data integration process that extracts data from sources, transforms it into the right format, and loads it into a destination system.
Data Extraction
The process of retrieving specific data from source documents or systems for further processing.
ERP Integration
Connecting an external system to an ERP to automatically exchange data without manual re-entry.
Structured Data Extraction
The process of pulling specific, organized fields from unstructured documents like PDFs or emails.
See it in action
Rima automates the manual document workflows accounting teams spend hours on every week.