Navigating F identifiers in schema 06.01: how to avoid mapping chaos

the digital operational resilience act (dora) requires the use of function identifiers (f keys) in schema 06 01 , which seems simple at first — but quickly becomes complex managing these identifiers properly is critical for maintaining consistency across linked schemas like 02 02 understanding function identifiers (f keys) in schema 06 01, each business function must be assigned a unique f key (e g , f1, f2, f3) but the assignment isn't just based on the function name — it's tied to the specific licensed activity the financial entity performs the ict services supporting that activity or function as a result, every unique combination of function, activity, and ict service may require a different identifier the problem integration with schema 02 02 schema 02 02 connects these f keys to contractual arrangements and ict services if something changes in 06 01 — for example, removing or reordering functions — it creates serious risks renumbering breaks mappings if you remove an entry and renumber f1 to f2, existing mappings in 02 02 will no longer align manual tracking gets risky especially with excel, keeping everything aligned becomes error prone and time consuming our recommendation incremental numbering to avoid breaking connections across schemas, adopt persistent and incremental f numbering if you remove a function, don’t reuse or renumber existing f identifiers assign new f keys sequentially (e g , f101, f102, f103 ) maintain a consistent mapping between function entries and their linked records this keeps schema 02 02 aligned even as your business structure evolves conclusion f identifiers may look simple — but under the hood, they connect critical parts of your dora reporting avoid renumbering instead, use persistent, incrementing ids to prevent downstream errors, reduce rework, and maintain compliance across linked templates a structured approach to function mapping doesn’t just ensure accuracy — it also saves time and protects your reporting integrity