In the Designer, you can create mapping variables in a mapping or mapplet. After you create a mapping variable, it appears in the Expression Editor. You can then use it in any expression in the mapping or mapplet. You can also use mapping variables in a source qualifier filter, user-defined join, or extract override, and in the Expression Editor of reusable transformations.

Unlike mapping parameters, mapping variables are values that can change between sessions. The Integration Service saves the latest value of a mapping variable to the repository at the end of each successful session. During the next session run, it evaluates all references to the mapping variable to the saved value. You can override a saved value with the parameter file. You can also clear all saved values for the session in the Workflow Manager.

You might use a mapping variable to perform an incremental read of the source. For example, you have a source table containing timestamped transactions and you want to evaluate the transactions on a daily basis. Instead of manually entering a session override to filter source data each time you run the session, you can create a mapping variable, $$IncludeDateTime. In the source qualifier, create a filter to read only rows whose transaction date equals $$IncludeDateTime, such as:

TIMESTAMP = $$IncludeDateTime

In the mapping, use a variable function to set the variable value to increment one day each time the session runs. If you set the initial value of $$IncludeDateTime to 8/1/2004, the first time the Integration Service runs the session, it reads only rows dated 8/1/2004. During the session, the Integration Service sets $$IncludeDateTime to 8/2/2004. It saves 8/2/2004 to the repository at the end of the session. The next time it runs the session, it reads only rows from August 2, 2004.