SnowPro Associate: Platform Question 276
Single answer● Use Snowsight to load dataA data analyst needs to load a one-time CSV file from a local laptop into an existing Snowflake table using Snowsight. The target table already exists, but the incoming file contains a header row and uses a pipe (|) delimiter instead of commas. The analyst wants to use the Snowsight data loading workflow with minimal SQL. Which action should the analyst take in Snowsight to load the file successfully?
- A
Open the target table in Snowsight, choose Load Data, upload the local file, and specify format options such as skipping the header row and using | as the field delimiter before loading.
- B
Create an external stage in SQL first, because Snowsight can only load files that already exist in cloud storage and cannot upload directly from a local machine.
- C
Convert the CSV file to Parquet before using Snowsight, because Snowsight only supports loading local files when the source format is columnar.
- D
Use Snowsight to open a worksheet and run an INSERT statement that manually lists all rows from the file, because the Load Data wizard cannot apply custom file format settings.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is to use Snowsight's Load Data workflow on the existing table and configure the file format options during the upload process. This is a practical approach for one-time or small-scale file ingestion from a local machine. Snowflake documentation describes using Snowsight to load data into tables, including selecting files, previewing data, and defining parsing options such as delimiters and header rows. For SnowPro Associate-level knowledge, candidates should recognize when Snowsight's guided loading experience is appropriate versus when more advanced staging and COPY INTO patterns are needed.
- A. Correct.
Correct. In Snowsight, users can load data into an existing table through the Load Data workflow and upload files directly from a local machine for ad hoc loading. During the workflow, they can configure file format settings such as the field delimiter and whether to skip the header row, allowing the file to be parsed correctly without requiring extensive SQL.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. This is a common misconception. While Snowflake certainly supports loading from internal and external stages, Snowsight also provides a built-in workflow for uploading local files for loading into a table. Creating an external stage is not required for a simple one-time local file load through Snowsight.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Snowsight is not limited to columnar formats like Parquet for local file uploads. It supports common structured file formats, including CSV, and allows users to define parsing settings. Converting the file to Parquet would add unnecessary work and is not required for this scenario.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Although SQL-based loading is possible in Snowflake, it is not necessary here. The Snowsight Load Data wizard is specifically designed to simplify file loading and does support custom file format settings such as delimiters and header handling. Manually writing INSERT statements for file contents is impractical and not the intended approach.