In data transformation during ETL, what can a “multifield transformation” accomplish when mapping source fields to target fields?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: All of the above

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Transformation logic adapts data from source systems to target warehouse schemas. Multifield transformations are versatile mappings that restructure data for analytics, conformance, and normalization or denormalization.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Source and target schemas often differ in granularity and shape.
  • Transformations can split, merge, and reshape attributes.
  • Business rules may dictate how fields are combined or decomposed.


Concept / Approach:
A multifield transformation can split one field (for example, full_name) into several (first_name, last_name), merge several fields (street, city, state) into one address_line, or map multiple to multiple with complex derivations. Therefore, all listed possibilities are valid capabilities.



Step-by-Step Solution:

Consider one-to-many: parsing a composite string into parts.Consider many-to-one: concatenations, hashing, or composite business keys.Consider many-to-many: normalization with derived calculations across columns.


Verification / Alternative check:
ETL tools (for example, Informatica, DataStage, SSIS) explicitly support split, merge, and multi-column mapping transformations.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Options A/B/C are partial cases; D correctly aggregates all valid cases.


Common Pitfalls:
Hard-coding parsing rules without handling edge cases (for example, middle names, international addresses); always validate with profiling.



Final Answer:
All of the above

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