DPDP Data Mapping Service: What It Includes & Costs (MBS)

What Does DPDP Data Mapping Include?

Data mapping for DPDP compliance involves systematically identifying and documenting every instance of personal data your business collects, processes, stores, and shares. It's the foundational step for understanding your data footprint and is a core component of Meridian Bridge Strategy's Data Mapping service, priced between ₹1.5L and ₹3L.

Sushant Pasamarty, founder of Meridian Bridge Strategy, emphasizes that accurate data mapping isn't just about compliance; it's about gaining clarity over your entire data ecosystem. Without it, effective consent management, data principal rights, and breach response are impossible.

What Our DPDP Data Mapping Service Covers in Detail

Our Data Mapping service comprehensively examines how personal data moves through your organization. This is a detailed, investigative process designed to leave no data flow undocumented.

• Identification of Personal Data Elements: We identify all categories of personal data collected (e.g., names, contact info, financial details, health data, usage patterns). This includes both structured and unstructured data across all systems.
• Data Collection Points: Pinpointing exactly where and how personal data enters your organization (e.g., website forms, mobile apps, physical forms, customer support interactions, third-party APIs).
• Data Flow Analysis: Tracing the complete lifecycle of each identified data element. This involves documenting how data is transmitted, processed, transformed, and accessed internally.
• Data Storage Locations: Identifying all databases, servers, cloud services (AWS, Azure, GCP, etc.), and physical archives where personal data resides. This includes understanding data residency requirements.
• Data Sharing & Third-Party Vendors: Documenting all instances where personal data is shared with external parties. This covers vendors, partners, service providers, and any other entities touching your data.
• Purposes of Processing: For each data flow, we identify the specific business purpose for which the data is collected and processed, directly aligning with DPDP's consent requirements.
• Retention Policies (Current): Documenting existing data retention schedules for different categories of personal data. This helps assess future alignment with DPDP requirements.
• Data Subjects/Principals: Identifying the categories of individuals whose data is being processed (e.g., customers, employees, vendors, website visitors).
• Security Measures (Existing): Briefly noting current technical and organizational security measures in place for specific data stores, providing a baseline for future gap analysis.

What You Walk Away With (Specific Deliverables)

At the end of MBS's Data Mapping engagement, you receive tangible, actionable outputs that form the backbone of your DPDP compliance efforts.

• Comprehensive Data Inventory: A detailed catalog of all personal data elements, their categories, and where they are located within your organization.
• Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs): Visual representations illustrating the journey of personal data from collection to storage, processing, and sharing. These help in easily understanding complex data flows.
• Data Processing Activities Register: A structured document detailing each processing activity, the data involved, its purpose, legal basis, and retention period.
• Third-Party Vendor List with Data Sharing Details: An organized list of all vendors receiving personal data, specifying what data they receive and why. This is critical for vendor risk assessments.
• Initial Assessment Report: A summary of the findings, highlighting key observations and areas that will require further attention in subsequent DPDP readiness stages.

Who This Service Is For

Our Data Mapping service is ideal for Indian business founders, CXOs, CTOs, HR heads, and compliance officers who need a clear, structured understanding of their organization's personal data landscape. This service is particularly beneficial for:

• Companies just beginning their DPDP compliance journey.
• Organizations with complex data ecosystems and multiple digital touchpoints.
• Businesses looking to establish a robust foundation before undertaking a full DPDP readiness audit.
• Any entity that needs to demonstrate accountability for personal data processing under DPDP.

What Our Data Mapping Service Costs

Meridian Bridge Strategy offers a productized Data Mapping service, designed for clarity and predictable outcomes.

This cost reflects the intensive, investigative work required to thoroughly map all personal data. The duration and exact price within the range depend on the complexity and scale of your data processing activities.

What Our Data Mapping Service Does NOT Include

To set clear expectations, it's important to understand what the Data Mapping service alone does not cover.

• Gap Analysis & Risk Assessment: Identifying specific compliance gaps against DPDP requirements (e.g., consent mechanisms, DPA adequacy, breach response plans) is part of our DPDP Readiness Audit.
• Policy & Process Development: Creating or updating privacy policies, data retention policies, or internal standard operating procedures (SOPs) is part of our DPDP Workshop.
• Implementation Support: Active assistance in implementing technical or organizational controls, DPO training, or final readiness opinions are part of our Full DPDP Consulting.
• Legal Advice: While our service provides a factual data inventory, it does not constitute legal advice regarding DPDP interpretation or specific legal obligations.

Next Step: Understand Your DPDP Readiness

Understanding what personal data your organization handles is crucial. Our Data Mapping service provides this foundational clarity. To explore which DPDP service tier best fits your organization's needs, use our free online calculator.