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Roundtripping in IT is the process of converting a document or file from one format to another, and then back to its original format. This term is commonly used to talk about conversion to and from different types of word processors, accounting platforms, markup languages or other information formats.
Techopedia Explains Roundtripping
Roundtripping can involve some common issues. One is the issue of degradation, where data gets essentially flipped back and forth between two different formats. Sometimes, small bits of information are lost each time. For example, in converting images to and from a bitmap, small bits of color or resolution can be compromised, and the final result can be inferior. The same is true with word processors, where trying to fit a document into the particular styles can lead to some degradation over time, with many conversions. In addition, some IT experts talk about whether services actually deliver roundtripping, or whether they just duplicate the document for a different format.
