Quickbase to Snowflake: 3 Easy Methods to Replicate Data

Imagine your marketing team working on a new product launch. They can create a Quickbase application specifically designed for project management. Within the application, they can set up tables to track tasks, deadlines, team members, and dependencies. That’s just one use case of Quickbase. 

By seamlessly moving data from Quickbase to Snowflake, organizations can access robust analytics capabilities that encompass metrics like the average response time for customer support tickets and identify projects that are lagging behind schedule. This enables them to harness the potential of their data and make well-informed decisions in areas such as resource planning, quality control, and financial management.

So, are you looking for a solution to replicate data from Quickbase to Snowflake? You’re at the right place. This article provides all the different methods for Quickbase to Snowflake replication for different use cases.

So let’s get started!

Method 1: Replicating Data Using CSV Files

Export Data from Quickbase

• Step 1: Open the app from where you have to extract the data. Go to the  Records section.

• Step 2: Click on Export a table to a file.

• Step 3: Select the action Export a table to a file.

• Step 4: Select the desired format from the options:

1. Comma Separated Values(.csv): .csv saves records in a text format, where fields are separated by commas and records are separated by a carriage return. It is a widely recognized method for transferring data between different programs. The use case includes exporting data to spreadsheet programs due to its compatibility and ease of use.
2. Tab-Delimited Values (.tsv): .tsv is similar to a comma-delimited file but with field values separated by tabs instead of commas. It is also an ideal choice for exporting data to spreadsheet programs.
3. XML (short for Extensible Markup Language): The output is a simple text file and uses descriptive tags to distinguish between fields. These records help you to share information with different applications, such as contact management systems, that support XML. 

• Step 5: Click Export to File once you select the export format.

Import CSV to Snowflake

• Step 1: Choose the database you established before using the USE statement.

Use database [database-name];

• Step 2: CREATE a file format for a set of staged data that can be loaded into Snowflake tables. 

CREATE [ OR REPLACE ] FILE FORMAT [ IF NOT EXISTS ] 
                      TYPE = { CSV | JSON | AVRO | ORC | PARQUET | XML } [ formatTypeOptions ]
                      [ COMMENT = '' ]

• Step 3: Create a table in Snowflake using CREATE statement. This will create a new table or replace the existing table with a specified or current schema. 

CREATE [ OR REPLACE ] TABLE  [ (  [  ] ,  [  ] , ... ) ] ;

• Step 4: Use the PUT command to load the CSV data file from the local system to the staging of the snowflake table.

put file://D:\dezyre_emp.csv @DEMO_DB.PUBLIC.%dezyre_employees;

• Step 5: Then COPY the data into a target table.

copy into dezyre_employees
  from @%dezyre_employees
  file_format = (format_name = 'my_csv_format' , error_on_column_count_mismatch=false)
  pattern = '.*dezyre_emp.csv.gz'
  on_error = 'skip_file';

You can run a SELECT query, to check if your data has been loaded in the target destination.

Example:

SELECT * from dezyre_employees;

By following this process you will be able to load your desired CSV datasets into Snowflake successfully. This method can come in handy for the following scenarios:

• One-time data replication: When files are required quarterly, annually, or for a single occasion.
• No transformation of data required: If the data stored in a spreadsheet is ideal, accurate, and standardized for the analysis format. 
• Lesser number of files: It can be particularly time-consuming if you have to merge spreadsheets containing data from multiple departments across the organization.

Let’s have a look at another method to replicate data from Quickbase to Snowflake.

Method 2: Replicate Data from Quickbase to Snowflake Using Quickbase’s Pipelines

• Step 1: Create an OAuth 2.0 integration in Snowflake..

Note: If you want to execute an SQL command you must use the ACCOUNT ADMIN role or a role with the global CREATE INTEGRATION privilege

CREATE SECURITY INTEGRATION PIPELINES
    TYPE= OAUTH
    ENABLED =TRUE
    OAUTH_CLIENT = CUSTOM
    OAUTH_CLIENT_TYPE = CONFIDENTIAL
    OAUTH_REDIRECT_URI ='https://www.pipelines.quickbase.com/authorize'
    OAUTH_ISSUE_REFRESH_TOKENS =TRUE;

From this you will be able to find the Client ID and Client Secret using the command:

SELECT SYSTEM$SHOW_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRETS('PIPELINES');

 You can also refer to Snowflake documentation for creating Custom OAuth integration.

• Step 2: On the QuickBase landing page click on the Pipeline tab. It will direct you to the My Pipeline Page and click on Start from Scratch.

Search for the Snowflake Channel and Click on Connect to Snowflake.

• Step 3: Write your Subdomain Client App Id and Client Secret received after the creation of OAuth 2.0 integration in Snowflake. 

Attention: The user can not use the integration with ACCOUNTADMIN or SYSADMIN role. Make sure to use credentials of non-admin individual accounts.

Once successfully connecting the snowflake account you will be able to look at the databases tables and schemas that you have permissions for. After logging into the account you can create records, export records to CSV, and import records from CSV.

The platform has some limitations too including:

1. Using channels you can only execute a single SQL statement per step.
2. PUT, GET and CALL commands are not supported by SQL API in Quickbase.
3. Data Export is limited to 300MB.
4. The channels are limited and do not have a direct connection to warehouses including GoogleBigquery, and Redshift which are frequently used in the industries to store data.
5. The Quickbase interface does not provide any features regarding the Pre-load transformations or automatically creating the schemas in the destination or models & workflows.

Every time combining the data using manual scripts and transforming files on a large scale will be a challenging solution. You need automated pipelines to transfer data without any loss, with most data being raw data able to transform into a format that can be used for analytics. It is required to continuously monitor the connectors for any updates and track if the pipeline has some issues.

Method 3: Quickbase to Snowflake Replication Using Automated Data Pipelines

To deal with all the challenges mentioned above you can try the No-code ETL tool that completely automates the Quickbase to Snowflake data migration and have benefits including:

• It enables you to focus on your core engineering goals while your business teams can handle reporting without any delays or relying on you for data. 
• Your sales and support teams can easily enhance, filter, combine, and segment raw Harvest data with a few simple actions. 
• The user-friendly interface saves valuable time for the engineering team by eliminating tedious data preparation tasks. 
• Analysts can create comprehensive reports for different business sectors without coding knowledge, enabling better decision-making. 
• The business teams have access to near-real-time data without compromising the accuracy and consistency of the analysis. 
• All your analytics-ready data is consolidated in one place, allowing you to quickly assess business performance and explore new market opportunities using your Quickbase data.

One example of such an ETL/ELT tool is Hevo, a cloud-based no-code solution to transfer data from Quickbase to Snowflake by just following a few simple steps.

Hevo Data, one of the top automated data pipelines, uses the Quickbase JSON RESTful API to replicate the data present in your Quickbase account.

Prerequisites: 

1. You should have a Quickbase account for the APP ID.
2. Select My Preferences under User Information and click on the Manage User Tokens link 
3. You can create or use any existing user token to configure Quickbase as a source on Hevo.

• Step 1: Configuring Quickbase as a source

• Step 2: Configuring Snowflake as a destination

And just like that by using 2 simple steps you can connect your Quickbase to Snowflake. You just have to provide credentials to the source and destination and Hevo will take care of everything else. The pipeline will automatically start replicating the new and updated data and you can update the frequency of data replication as per your requirements. 

By utilizing Hevo Data, you can streamline the replication of Quickbase data to Snowflake, taking advantage of its prominent capabilities.

• Fully Managed: You don’t need to dedicate any time to building your pipelines. With Hevo Data’s dashboard, you can monitor all the processes in your pipeline, thus giving you complete control over it.
• Data Transformation: Hevo has easy-to-use No-code features like drag-and-drop features or Python scripts that simplify data cleansing, modification, and transformation for various use cases i.e., pre-load and post-load transformation capabilities.
• Schema Management: Hevo’s most important feature is `Auto-mapping ” which automatically detects and manages mappings to the destination schema.
• Scalable Infrastructure: With the increase in the number of sources and volume of data, Hevo can automatically scale horizontally, handling millions of records per minute with minimal latency.
• Transparent Pricing: You can select your pricing plan based on your requirements. Different plans are put together on its website, along with all the features it supports. You can adjust your credit limits and spend notifications for any increased data flow.
• Live Support: Hevo provides exceptional customer support through chat, email, and support calls, and is available round the clock.

You can also refer to Quickbase and Snowflake page in the official documentation of Hevo for complete in-depth knowledge of the process.   

What Can You Hope to Achieve by Replicating Data from Quickbase to Snowflake?

By transferring the data from Quickbase to Snowflake you can assist your business stakeholders in discovering the answers to the following questions:

1. What is the average cycle time for completing a manufacturing process?
2. Which inventory items have the highest turnover rate?
3. What is the total revenue generated by your company in the last quarter?
4. How many new customers have you acquired this month?
5. What is the total revenue generated by your company in the last quarter?
6. How many new customers have you acquired this month?
7. What is the employee satisfaction rating based on the latest survey?
8. Which channels do your customers prefer for contacting customer support?

Conclusion 

To sum it all up data replication from Quickbase to Snowflake can be done using various methods, but you have to decide what is the more accessible and hassle-free way to do so. In this blog, first, we have looked at a longer method where you have to export the data from Quickbase and then import it to Snowflake using CSV files. 

You can also use the built-in pipeline feature that Quickbase provides, but it has some inconsistencies of its own as mentioned above. In this situation, opting for an automated data pipeline is recommended. It is crucial to understand the purpose of data replication and choose an appropriate method. 

When faced with real-time data requirements from multiple sources, a customized ETL solution becomes essential for a comprehensive business view. By utilizing Hevo Data’s extensive collection of over 150 plug-and-play integrations, you can alleviate the burden on your engineering resources and eliminate repetitive and resource-intensive tasks. Hevo Data’s pre-load data transformations save significant time by automating data cleaning and standardization, allowing for quick completion through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface or custom Python scripts. 

Visit our Website to Explore Hevo

Additionally, there is no need to access your data warehouse for post-load transformations as Hevo enables running complex SQL transformations directly from its user-friendly interface, delivering analysis-ready data efficiently.

Ready to experience the capabilities of Hevo? Sign Up for a 14-day free trial and simplify your data integration process. Explore the pricing information to identify the plan that perfectly aligns with your business requirements.