Field Mapping Between Datasources

Before you can create match definitions, you need to tell MatchLogic which columns in your datasources correspond to each other. The Field Mapping panel is where you establish these relationships.

Collapsible Field Mapping panel showing source field dropdowns on the left mapped to target field dropdowns on the right, with include/exclude checkboxes and the Suggest Mapping button at the top

Field Mapping panel after clicking Suggest Mapping, showing auto-populated field pairs matched by column name similarity with checkboxes to accept or reject each suggestion

How Field Mapping Works

For cross-file matching, field mapping connects a column in the source datasource to an equivalent column in the target datasource. For example, if Source A has a column called FirstName and Source B has a column called First_Name, you map them together so MatchLogic knows these fields contain the same type of data.

For single-source deduplication, you simply select the fields you want to use for matching. Since both sides of the comparison come from the same datasource, no cross-mapping is needed.

Creating Mappings Manually

In the Field Mapping panel:

Select a field from the Source dropdown
Select the corresponding field from the Target dropdown
The mapping appears as a row in the mapping table
Repeat for each field pair you want to make available for matching

Using Suggest Mapping

Click the Suggest Mapping button to let MatchLogic automatically map fields based on column name similarity. The system compares column names across datasources and proposes mappings where the names are similar (for example, LastName to Last_Name, or Email to EmailAddress).

Tip

Always review auto-suggested mappings before saving. The algorithm matches by name similarity, so it may occasionally pair fields incorrectly — for example, mapping BillingAddress to ShippingAddress because both contain "Address."

Including and Excluding Mappings

Each mapping row has a checkbox to include or exclude it. Only included mappings are available as match criteria in your definitions. You can exclude a mapping without deleting it — this is useful for experimenting with which fields improve your match results. See #including-excluding-field-mappings for more details.

Saving Mappings

Click Save Mapping to persist your field mappings. Mappings must be saved before you can create match definitions that reference them. If you modify mappings after creating definitions, review your definitions to ensure they still reference valid field pairs.

Important

Mappings define the universe of fields available for matching. If a field is not mapped, it cannot be used as a match criterion. Make sure to map all fields that you might want to compare.

Next Steps

Once your mappings are saved, proceed to create match definitions. Each criterion in a definition references one of these mapped field pairs. See https://help.matchlogic.io/article/255-what-are-match-definitions to get started.