What Is a Mapping and When to Use It

(If you want a conceptual overview of mappings in Dost, you can review the article What is a Mapping in Dost.)

Mappings are one of the most powerful tools to reduce manual work and ensure consistency in the data sent to your ERP.

A mapping is a rule that tells Dost how to populate or transform specific document fields based on defined conditions.

4 Types of Mappings:

Simple mapping: for example, when supplier X is assigned to accounting account Y.
Mapping of a mapping: a dependent mapping where a previous mapping (Rule A) triggers a subsequent behavior in another mapping.
Field replication mapping: for example, if a field is missing at line level but exists in the header, the header value can be copied to all line items.
Calculation mapping: used for operations such as additions, subtractions, multiplications, and divisions.

For example, you can define rules such as:

Using mappings correctly allows you to:

Automate repetitive decisions that were previously made manually (cost centers, accounting accounts, internal codes, etc.).
Reduce classification and coding errors in your ERP.
Increase data consistency, improving month-end closing, reporting, and audits.

In other words: the more clear rules your business has, the more work Dost can automate for you.

You should create mappings when:

You observe stable patterns in your documents, for example:
- “All invoices from PARKING BCN are assigned to the Barcelona Office cost center.”
- “Invoices with 10% VAT are always posted to account X.”
You need to correct or complete fields that are sometimes missing or incomplete.
You need to adapt data to the format expected by your ERP (internal codes, specific structures, etc.).

Gain a deeper understanding of what a mapping is in Dost, the four available types, and when you should create one to automate business rules in your documents.