A data access architecture may includes a mapping architecture for mapping data as may be used by an application to data as persisted in a database. Such a mapping architecture uses two types of "mapping views"--one for translating queries and the other for translating updates. A mechanism is provided that automatically generates query and update views from high-level mapping specifications. A validation may be performed to ensure that a mapping specification, when used in conjunction with a mapping architecture, allows data to "roundtrip" from the application to the database, without loss of data.