An object can have different representations, depending on the context in which it is used.
For example, the person Mr Miller can be a customer at mail order company A with a specific customer number and be an employee at company B with a specific employee number. In both cases we are dealing with the same person.
You use the value mapping function to map different representations of an object to each other. You save the mapping rules for different objects in a value mapping table.
You use value mapping in the following areas of SAP Exchange Infrastructure:
Java mapping
For more information, see Executing Value Mappings.
Message mapping (see Standard Functions)
In SAP Exchange Infrastructure, the representation of an object is defined by an issuing agencyand an identification scheme(see Identifiers). The representation of an object is not complete until the agency, identification scheme, and value are known.
Value mappings can be defined in different value mapping contexts. For example, the Integration Directory or SAP Solution Manager. Different value mapping contexts are of use when you want to transfer value mappings from another context (see Value Mapping Replication Using a Specialist Interface).
You save object representations in a value mapping table.
You have the following options for editing the content of value mapping tables:
Manual Inputusing the user interface of the Integration Directory
Replication from external data sourcesusing a specialist interface