MAPCHAR SETs were introduced to enable letters to be converted form one format to another. MAPCHAR SETs allow individual, country-specific letters to be represented by one or two internationally used letters (e.g. "ü" as "ue").

When the database instance is configured, these country-specific letters can be converted and stored under the name DEFAULTMAP. The conversion rules in the DEFAULTMAP can be changed if necessary.

Further MAPCHAR SETs can also be defined using the Database Manager.