What is a Source System
A source system is a system organizationally determined to be a source where core data elements are maintained. A source system is the authoritative data source for a given data element. Source systems include systems of record.
For example, a registration system or an accounting system could be a source system. Conversely, a data warehouse is not a source system. Data flow from disparate source systems like registration and accounting systems into a data warehouse. A data warehouse can be the source of data for reporting but a data warehouse is not a source system.
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![Flow of data from source systems into a data warehouse and then into analyses and reports.](https://datagovernance.dartmouth.edu/sites/data_governance.prod/files/styles/wysiwyg_full_width/public/wysiwyg/data_warehouse_0.png?itok=dlVLtOVy)