Mapping is one of the most fundamental tasks in Catalyst. It's the process of placing your data—accounts, companies, locations, products, and more—into the correct hierarchy so that reporting works as expected. If something isn't showing up where you expect, a mapping issue is almost always the place to start.
What Is Mapping?
In Catalyst, mapping is the process of placing records—accounts, companies, locations, products—into the correct position within a hierarchy. It tells Catalyst where each piece of data belongs so that it rolls up correctly and appears where you expect in reports and cubes.
When data isn't mapped, or is mapped incorrectly, it either doesn't appear at all or shows up in the wrong place. This is one of the most common causes of discrepancies between your source system (ERP) and what you see in Catalyst.
How Hierarchies Are Structured: Nodes and Leaves
Before you can map anything effectively, it helps to understand how hierarchies are built. Every hierarchy in Catalyst is made up of two types of elements: nodes and leaves.
Nodes are grouping levels that organize and roll up data from everything beneath them. Think of them as folders.
Examples:
- Revenue
- Operating Expenses
- Midwest Region
- Online Sales
Leaves are the lowest-level data points, directly tied to records in your source system. This is where actual data lives.
Examples:
- Individual GL accounts
- Specific departments
- Locations or entities
- Product IDs
Simple rule: Nodes are parents (grouping levels). Leaves are children (the actual data). Mapping is the process of assigning leaves to the correct nodes so totals and reporting behave correctly.
Common Hierarchies You'll Work With
Catalyst supports several hierarchy types depending on your setup. The most common are:
- Account Hierarchy — organizes GL accounts into financial statement categories (most common)
- Company Hierarchy — groups entities, subsidiaries, or business units
- Item / Product Hierarchy — structures product lines and SKUs
- Location / Geography Hierarchy — groups regions, markets, or sites
- Profitability Account Hierarchy — a specialized account hierarchy for profitability reporting
The mapping process works the same way across all of them: you are assigning leaves (base-level records) to the correct nodes (grouping levels) so the hierarchy reflects your intended structure.
Why Mapping Matters
When new records are created in your ERP—new GL accounts, new locations, new products—they need to be placed into the correct hierarchy before Catalyst can include them in reporting. Until that happens:
- Data may exist in your source but not appear in cubes or reports
- Rollup totals may be incomplete or incorrect
- P&L or Balance Sheet balances may not tie out
- Reconciliation during close can become more time-consuming
The most frequent symptom is data that's present in your ERP but missing from Catalyst. Before assuming something is wrong with the data load, always check mapping first.
The Most Common Mapping Issue: Unassigned Accounts
An unassigned account is a leaf (GL account) that exists in your ERP but hasn't been placed into the Account Hierarchy yet. Until it's mapped, any amounts tied to that account won't appear in your Catalyst cubes.
Unassigned accounts typically occur when:
- A new account is added in the ERP after the initial hierarchy setup
- Source data changes and introduces records that weren't anticipated
- Mapping wasn't updated following a chart of accounts change
Who Can Perform Mapping
To map accounts or update any hierarchy, you must be either:
- A Business Owner for the hierarchy you're working in, or
- A Client Admin with full rights
If you don't have access, contact your internal Catalyst administrator or reach out to EBM Support.
How to Map Accounts (Step-by-Step)
The steps below use the Account Hierarchy as the example, but the same process applies to any hierarchy type.
Open the Hierarchy
In Catalyst, navigate to Administration > Site Management > Hierarchy > Edit Account Hierarchy (or whichever hierarchy you're updating).
Switch to the Export/Upload Tab
Select the Export/Upload tab. This is where mapping is managed. Filter to the company you want to review, then under Options, choose Unassigned and click Apply to see only unmapped records.
You can also view unassigned accounts in the Tree View tab if you prefer a hierarchical display.
Export the Unassigned List
From the Export/Upload tab, export the unassigned account list and open the file in Excel.
Assign Leaves to the Correct Nodes
In Excel, fill in the blank hierarchy levels for each unassigned record. You're telling Catalyst which nodes each leaf belongs under.
Example structure:
Income Statement > Net Sales > Online Sales > Department > Account Name > Account ID
Use existing node names whenever possible to keep structure consistent and avoid duplicates.
Upload Back into Catalyst
Save the file, then use the EBM Office Bridge ribbon > Upload in Excel to push your changes back into Catalyst. Your mapped accounts will now appear in the correct hierarchy positions and be visible in cubes and reports.
When to Review Mapping
Mapping isn't a one-time setup—it's an ongoing maintenance task. Review your hierarchy mapping whenever:
- New accounts, entities, or records are added in the ERP
- Data appears in the source but not in Catalyst
- Report totals don't match expectations
- A chart of accounts or organizational structure changes
- You're approaching a close or review cycle and want to verify completeness
Troubleshooting: Data Missing from Reports
If something looks off, work through this checklist before escalating:
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Unassigned records | Filter to Unassigned in the Export/Upload tab and check if the record appears |
| Wrong parent node | Confirm the leaf is mapped under the node you're looking in |
| Upload not completed | Verify the upload finished without errors in EBM Office Bridge |
| Wrong hierarchy | Make sure you're looking in the correct hierarchy (Account vs. Company vs. Location, etc.) |
Mapping is what keeps Catalyst aligned with your ERP. When new data enters your source system, mapping ensures it flows through to the right place in every hierarchy—so your cubes, reports, and rollups stay accurate. If something looks missing, checking for unassigned records should always be your first move.
✅ Next Step: To get proactive alerts when new unassigned accounts appear, see Business Owner Notifications.
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