diff --git a/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/file/mapping/FieldSet.java b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/file/mapping/FieldSet.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0e981ee38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-batch-infrastructure/src/main/java/org/springframework/batch/io/file/mapping/FieldSet.java
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package org.springframework.batch.io.file.mapping;
+
+import java.math.BigDecimal;
+import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.Properties;
+
+public interface FieldSet {
+
+	public String[] getNames();
+
+	public String[] getValues();
+	
+	public String readString(int index); 
+	
+	public String readString(String name);
+	
+	public boolean readBoolean(int index); 
+	
+	public boolean readBoolean(String name);
+	
+	public boolean readBoolean(int index, String trueValue);
+	
+	public boolean readBoolean(String name, String trueValue);
+	
+	public char readChar(int index);
+	
+	public char readChar(String name);
+	
+	public byte readByte(int index);
+	
+	public byte readByte(String name);
+	
+	public short readShort(int index);
+	
+	public short readShort(String name);
+	
+	public int readInt(int index);
+	
+	public int readInt(String name);
+	
+	public int readInt(int index, int defaultValue);
+	
+	public int readInt(String name, int defaultValue);
+	
+	public long readLong(int index);
+	
+	public long readLong(String name);
+	
+	public long readLong(int index, long defaultValue);
+	
+	public long readLong(String name, long defaultValue);
+	
+	public float readFloat(int index);
+	
+	public float readFloat(String name);
+	
+	public double readDouble(int index);
+	
+	public double readDouble(String name);
+	
+	public BigDecimal readBigDecimal(int index);
+	
+	public BigDecimal readBigDecimal(String name);
+	
+	public BigDecimal readBigDecimal(int index, BigDecimal defaultValue);
+	
+	public BigDecimal readBigDecimal(String name, BigDecimal defaultValue);
+	
+	public Date readDate(int index);
+	
+	public Date readDate(String name);
+	
+	public Date readDate(int index, String pattern);
+	
+	public Date readDate(String name, String pattern);
+	
+	public int getFieldCount();
+
+	public Properties getProperties();
+}