We can proceed like this for as many nodes as we like, connecting them individually or in groups. However, we often need to do more than just map one node's value to another. For this, we can turn to mapping operations. For those acquainted with BizTalk Server, you will be familiar with functoids; the concept is similar in BizTalk Services. However, despite the similarities, there are many differences in how they are realized. One of the primary goals of the product group is to simplify common tasks, such as looping, which were often difficult or time consuming to achieve previously. This is where we will now focus our attention.

BizTalk Services provides a total of 37 mapping operations that are functionally grouped into categories in the toolbox. There isn't room here to cover every mapping operation, so we'll focus on some of the most useful. For a complete reference, check the MSDN documentation at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/hh689870.aspx....