title: Importing multiple file types into SSIS / mapping fields
body: <p>I am working on a new Datawarehouse trying to import a number of different format files from a number of different providers.</p>
  
  <p>The filenames may be the same each month, such as MonthlyReturns.xls/.csv, or a pattern, such as NorthWestSalesData20100101.csv).</p>
  
  <p>We can't ask the providers to change their naming convention.</p>
  
  <p>Do we have to create an SSIS package to import every kind of file-type from every provider, or is there a way we can create a mapping to relate the incoming fields (assuming they have header columns) to the fields in our Datawarehouse ?</p>
  
  <p>The favoured solution is likely to adopt SSIS, although is doesn't necessarily have to if there's a neat and elegant way to cut down on all the administrivia needed to maintain the solution after I'm gone.</p>
  
  <p>I'm actively working on a solution for this problem myself, and will post my adopted solution here, but I wanted to throw it out to the community to get a sanity-check on my question.</p>
  
  <p>thanks in advance for all your great responses.</p>