Embodiments of the invention comprise a method and apparatus for
transforming data. Systems implementing the invention allow for loading
the data from one or more source tables into one or more destination
tables. The system allows for parsing source data fields, defining new
source data fields, combining source fields to create source field
combinations, and combining destination fields to create destination
field combinations. The system allows for mapping source fields and
values to destination fields and values, where either the source fields
and values or destination fields and values may be field and value
combinations, and allows for transforming field values based on
destination field type. The tools provided in a system implementing the
invention provide a user the ability to intervene at each step during the
data transform task. A user may manually input a hierarchy definition, a
specific mapping, define rules for combining data fields, or define rules
for converting data values.