Source field
Definition
A source field is a named raw, normalized, or derived value in the data model behind a programmatic page. It can identify the page, control eligibility, define a relationship, supply page-specific evidence, or remain invisible in the final copy while still supporting review and traceability.
Why source field matters in programmatic SEO
Source fields are what separate a data-backed page model from a template that merely changes names. A spreadsheet may contain many columns, but only some of them materially affect whether the page should exist or what the visitor can learn, compare, or do.
Defining field roles also makes failure behavior explicit. When a required value is missing, the system should know whether to block the row, send it to review, omit a dependent section, or use a verified fallback. Silently turning missing evidence into an empty string is how scalable mistakes acquire polished HTML.
A simple example
For a city-service page, `city` may identify the page, `service_available` may determine whether the row is eligible, `parent_url` may define hierarchy, and `response_window` or `local_constraint` may provide the facts that make the answer specific to that location.
A `source_record_id` might never appear on the public page but can still be essential later. If a claim becomes wrong, the team can trace the rendered output back to the system and record that supplied it instead of hand-editing one page and leaving hundreds of siblings untouched.
Common misconception
“Every CSV column is useful page evidence. Some fields identify or format a page, some exist only for QA, and some should not be trusted until their source and missing-value behavior are defined.”
How pSEO Guard handles source field
pSEO Guard recognizes the supported audit fields and common aliases used for page-facing data such as URL, title, H1, target keyword, parent URL, and body content. The Field Mapping documentation makes that contract explicit instead of guessing the meaning of unfamiliar headers.
Page Matrix exports also preserve original row data as source fields beside rendered fields and audit decisions. That provenance makes it possible to inspect what changed the page, what was only used for identity, and where a questionable value came from.