The spelling of the word "source system" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcription, which helps to indicate the specific sounds used in a word. The phonetic transcription for "source" is /sɔːs/, indicating the use of a long "o" and a soft "s" sound, while the phonetic transcription for "system" is /ˈsɪstəm/, with a short "i" sound and a hard "s" sound. The combination of these two words creates a common term within data management, referring to the original system from which data is collected or transferred.
Source system is a term commonly used in the field of information technology to refer to the original or primary system from which data is obtained or generated. It can be defined as the software application, database, or platform that collects, stores, and manages data at its point of origin. The data in a source system is typically created or received from various sources, such as inputs from users, sensors, other systems, or external data feeds.
Source systems play a crucial role in data management and integration processes within organizations. They act as a foundational component for data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes, which are necessary to transfer data from the source system to other systems or data warehouses for analysis and reporting purposes.
Source systems can vary based on the specific domain or industry. For example, in a retail business, the point of sale (POS) system may be considered the source system, capturing sales transactions and customer data. In the healthcare industry, electronic health record (EHR) systems can serve as source systems, capturing patient information and medical records.
Efficiently integrating and harmonizing data from multiple source systems is vital to ensure data quality, consistency, and accuracy in downstream processes. Source system data may require cleansing, transformation, or consolidation to align with the desired structure and format of the target system or data model.
The word "source" originated from the Latin word "sors" which means "a share or chance". Over time, it evolved to refer to the origin or beginning of something. The term "source system" can be seen as a combination of these two words. "System" comes from the Latin word "systema" meaning "a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network". Therefore, "source system" can be understood as referring to the original or initial system or mechanism from which something originates or flows.