SmartMatch Feature

The SmartMatch feature in Astera adds to the reusability of file source objects used in flow documents (dataflows, workflows, and subflows). When the SmartMatch option is enabled, Astera checks for the specified alternate header values in a Synonym Dictionary file that is a part of the project.

How the SmartMatch Option Works

Astera looks for the alternate header values using a step-by-step approach. First, it looks for an exact header match in the incoming source file and the object layout specified in the data flow. Secondly, it checks for alternate headers in the field layout (as opposed to alternate headers in the synonym file).

Synonym Exact Match

If for any specific field, it is unable to find an exact header match, it then looks for the specified alternate header values in the synonym dictionary file.

Note: The Use SmartMatch with Synonym Dictionary option should be enabled for file sources to allow Astera to look for alternate header values in a Synonym Dictionary.

In a Synonym Dictionary file, it will look for exact variants first. For example, if the synonym file has an entry ShippingID=Shipping Number, Astera will read data from fields marked ShippingID and Shipping Number in the same way.

Synonym Token Match

You can also create tokens in a Synonym Dictionary file.

For example, if you define that ID = Number|Num|number|#

Astera will store the values defined as a token and use it to read data wherever an exact header match is not found. Tokens are useful to handle layout differences in multiple header fields at once.

For instance, for the token created for ID, shown above, Astera will handle unmapped data fields as shown in the table below:

Customer ID	Customer Number	Customer Num	Customer number	Customer #
Shipping ID	Shipping Number	Shipping Num	Shipping number	Shipping #
Order ID	Order Number	Order Num	Order number	Order #

Compact String Match

If there are still unmapped fields, Astera will remove whitespaces and punctuation characters and attempt to match the source to the target.