A dictionary is a reference data set that you can use to evaluate data in a mapping. Use dictionaries to verify that the data values on a data source or another object in a mapping are accurate and correctly formatted.
You add a dictionary to an asset in Data Quality, and you add the asset to the corresponding transformation in a mapping in Data Integration. For example, you can configure a rule specification to read a dictionary, and you can add the rule specification to a Rule Specification transformation in a mapping. You can also add a dictionary to a cleanse asset and add the asset to a Cleanse transformation in a mapping.
When you run a mapping that contains the transformation, the mapping compares each input data value to the dictionary data and performs actions that you specify. For example, a rule specification might return a value that indicates a match between the input data value and the dictionary data. Or, a cleanse asset might return a preferred or correct version of the input value.
A dictionary can contain multiple columns. At least one column must contain the standard or preferred versions of a set of values that the organization uses. Other columns can contain alternative or related versions of the values, including versions that might appear in the source data. The column that contains the standard or preferred values is called the valid column. You can populate a dictionary with any combination of values that suits your organization and your project requirements.