Warehouses and Lakes
Finance & Ops Analytics

How to load data from Netsuite to Snowflake destination

Learn how to use Airbyte to synchronize your Netsuite data into Snowflake destination within minutes.

TL;DR

This can be done by building a data pipeline manually, usually a Python script (you can leverage a tool as Apache Airflow for this). This process can take more than a full week of development. Or it can be done in minutes on Airbyte in three easy steps:

  1. set up Netsuite as a source connector (using Auth, or usually an API key)
  2. set up Snowflake destination as a destination connector
  3. define which data you want to transfer and how frequently

You can choose to self-host the pipeline using Airbyte Open Source or have it managed for you with Airbyte Cloud.

This tutorial’s purpose is to show you how.

What is Netsuite

NetSuite is a comprehensive cloud-based business management suite that provides an integrated platform for managing various business processes, including financials, customer relationship management (CRM), e-commerce, inventory management, and more. It offers a unified system that eliminates data silos and enables real-time visibility across an organization. NetSuite's core features include financial management, order and billing management, supply chain and warehouse management, project management, and customer support management. With its flexible and scalable architecture, NetSuite can adapt to the unique needs of businesses across different industries and sizes. By consolidating multiple business functions into a single platform, NetSuite streamlines operations, improves efficiency, and provides actionable insights for informed decision-making.

What is Snowflake destination

A cloud data platform, Snowflake Data Cloud provides a warehouse-as-a-service built specifically for the cloud. The Snowflake platform is designed to empower many types of data workloads, and offers secure, immediate, governed access to a comprehensive network of data. Snowflake’s innovative technology goes above the capabilities of the ordinary database, supplying users all the functionality of database storage, query processing, and cloud services in one package.

Integrate Netsuite with Snowflake destination in minutes

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Prerequisites

  1. A Netsuite account to transfer your customer data automatically from.
  2. A Snowflake destination account.
  3. An active Airbyte Cloud account, or you can also choose to use Airbyte Open Source locally. You can follow the instructions to set up Airbyte on your system using docker-compose.

Airbyte is an open-source data integration platform that consolidates and streamlines the process of extracting and loading data from multiple data sources to data warehouses. It offers pre-built connectors, including Netsuite and Snowflake destination, for seamless data migration.

When using Airbyte to move data from Netsuite to Snowflake destination, it extracts data from Netsuite using the source connector, converts it into a format Snowflake destination can ingest using the provided schema, and then loads it into Snowflake destination via the destination connector. This allows businesses to leverage their Netsuite data for advanced analytics and insights within Snowflake destination, simplifying the ETL process and saving significant time and resources.

Step 1: Set up Netsuite as a source connector

1. First, navigate to the "Sources" tab on the Airbyte dashboard and click "Create a new source."
2. Select "Netsuite" from the list of available connectors.
3. Enter a name for your Netsuite source and click "Next."
4. Enter your Netsuite account ID, email address, and password in the appropriate fields.
5. Click "Test connection" to ensure that your credentials are correct and that Airbyte can connect to your Netsuite account.
6. If the connection is successful, click "Save" to add your Netsuite source to Airbyte.
7. You can now configure your Netsuite source by selecting the tables and fields you want to replicate and setting any necessary filters or transformations.
8. Once you have configured your Netsuite source, click "Create a new destination" to select where you want to send your data.
9. Follow the prompts to set up your destination and map your Netsuite data to the appropriate fields.
10. Once you have configured your destination, click "Create connection" to start replicating data from your Netsuite source to your destination.

Step 2: Set up Snowflake destination as a destination connector

1. First, navigate to the Airbyte website and log in to your account.

2. Once you are logged in, click on the "Destinations" tab on the left-hand side of the screen.

3. Scroll down until you find the Snowflake Data Cloud destination connector and click on it.

4. You will be prompted to enter your Snowflake account information, including your account name, username, and password.

5. After entering your account information, click on the "Test" button to ensure that the connection is successful.

6. If the test is successful, click on the "Save" button to save your Snowflake Data Cloud destination connector settings.

7. You can now use the Snowflake Data Cloud destination connector to transfer data from your Airbyte sources to your Snowflake account.

8. To set up a data transfer, navigate to the "Sources" tab on the left-hand side of the screen and select the source you want to transfer data from.

9. Click on the "Create New Connection" button and select the Snowflake Data Cloud destination connector as your destination.

10. Follow the prompts to set up your data transfer, including selecting the tables or data sources you want to transfer and setting up any necessary transformations or mappings.

11. Once you have set up your data transfer, click on the "Run" button to start the transfer process.

Step 3: Set up a connection to sync your Netsuite data to Snowflake destination

Once you've successfully connected Netsuite as a data source and Snowflake destination as a destination in Airbyte, you can set up a data pipeline between them with the following steps:

  1. Create a new connection: On the Airbyte dashboard, navigate to the 'Connections' tab and click the '+ New Connection' button.
  2. Choose your source: Select Netsuite from the dropdown list of your configured sources.
  3. Select your destination: Choose Snowflake destination from the dropdown list of your configured destinations.
  4. Configure your sync: Define the frequency of your data syncs based on your business needs. Airbyte allows both manual and automatic scheduling for your data refreshes.
  5. Select the data to sync: Choose the specific Netsuite objects you want to import data from towards Snowflake destination. You can sync all data or select specific tables and fields.
  6. Select the sync mode for your streams: Choose between full refreshes or incremental syncs (with deduplication if you want), and this for all streams or at the stream level. Incremental is only available for streams that have a primary cursor.
  7. Test your connection: Click the 'Test Connection' button to make sure that your setup works. If the connection test is successful, save your configuration.
  8. Start the sync: If the test passes, click 'Set Up Connection'. Airbyte will start moving data from Netsuite to Snowflake destination according to your settings.

Remember, Airbyte keeps your data in sync at the frequency you determine, ensuring your Snowflake destination data warehouse is always up-to-date with your Netsuite data.

Use Cases to transfer your Netsuite data to Snowflake destination

Integrating data from Netsuite to Snowflake destination provides several benefits. Here are a few use cases:

  1. Advanced Analytics: Snowflake destination’s powerful data processing capabilities enable you to perform complex queries and data analysis on your Netsuite data, extracting insights that wouldn't be possible within Netsuite alone.
  2. Data Consolidation: If you're using multiple other sources along with Netsuite, syncing to Snowflake destination allows you to centralize your data for a holistic view of your operations, and to set up a change data capture process so you never have any discrepancies in your data again.
  3. Historical Data Analysis: Netsuite has limits on historical data. Syncing data to Snowflake destination allows for long-term data retention and analysis of historical trends over time.
  4. Data Security and Compliance: Snowflake destination provides robust data security features. Syncing Netsuite data to Snowflake destination ensures your data is secured and allows for advanced data governance and compliance management.
  5. Scalability: Snowflake destination can handle large volumes of data without affecting performance, providing an ideal solution for growing businesses with expanding Netsuite data.
  6. Data Science and Machine Learning: By having Netsuite data in Snowflake destination, you can apply machine learning models to your data for predictive analytics, customer segmentation, and more.
  7. Reporting and Visualization: While Netsuite provides reporting tools, data visualization tools like Tableau, PowerBI, Looker (Google Data Studio) can connect to Snowflake destination, providing more advanced business intelligence options. If you have a Netsuite table that needs to be converted to a Snowflake destination table, Airbyte can do that automatically.

Wrapping Up

To summarize, this tutorial has shown you how to:

  1. Configure a Netsuite account as an Airbyte data source connector.
  2. Configure Snowflake destination as a data destination connector.
  3. Create an Airbyte data pipeline that will automatically be moving data directly from Netsuite to Snowflake destination after you set a schedule

With Airbyte, creating data pipelines take minutes, and the data integration possibilities are endless. Airbyte supports the largest catalog of API tools, databases, and files, among other sources. Airbyte's connectors are open-source, so you can add any custom objects to the connector, or even build a new connector from scratch without any local dev environment or any data engineer within 10 minutes with the no-code connector builder.

We look forward to seeing you make use of it! We invite you to join the conversation on our community Slack Channel, or sign up for our newsletter. You should also check out other Airbyte tutorials, and Airbyte’s content hub!

What should you do next?

Hope you enjoyed the reading. Here are the 3 ways we can help you in your data journey:

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In the data management landscape, NetSuite and Snowflake are two leading tools. While NetSuite is known for its customer relationship management capabilities, Snowflake stores data efficiently on a large scale. The different strengths of both platforms complement each other, making the migration from one tool to another a strategic decision. When you connect both platforms, you can leverage NetSuite's business management tools with Snowflake's real-time storage and advanced analytics capabilities. This article will discuss two easy ways to migrate data from NetSuite to Snowflake.

NetSuite Overview

NetSuite is a software company known for developing cloud-based business management tools. It offers a suite of applications to run businesses, track performance, and drive efficiency. The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system of NetSuite is an all-in-one business management software. It allows you to operate more effectively by automating core processes and providing real-time operational and financial performance visibility. By using a single environment for providing different services like accounting, inventory management, warehouse operations, order processing, and supply chain management, NetSuite gives clear visibility of your business data.

Snowflake Overview

Created in 2012, Snowflake provides data engineering, analytics, warehousing, application development, and secure sharing solutions in one environment. However, it is most commonly used for data warehousing because of its robust features, such as separating storage and computing resources, and its auto-scalability. Snowflake also leverages the infrastructure of major cloud providers, including Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure, promoting platform independence. With more than 8500 clients globally, it is an ideal choice for businesses seeking unified data management services

Why Migrate from NetSuite to Snowflake?

NetSuite to Snowflake integration is driven by the specific needs of features and functionalities of Snowflake. Here are some of the reasons why you might want to migrate data between both platforms: 

  • Dedicated Storage System: Snowflake allows you to centralize your customer and product data from Netsuite into a storage system that is specifically designed to store and handle data. By migrating your data to a dedicated data warehouse, you can leverage many additional features like historical analysis, data cloning, scalable storage, and computing.
  • Large-Scale Data Analysis: NetSuite is primarily designed as an ERP system offering basic data warehousing and reporting capabilities, which are only suitable for small to intermediate datasets. On the other hand, Snowflake provides a platform for storing and managing huge datasets in real-time. That's why organizations that have exceeded their data processing capabilities in NetSuite and need to perform data analysis on a large scale can benefit from Snowflake.
  • Integrations & Ecosystem: NetSuite supports integration, but its range primarily centers around ERP, CRM, and e-commerce. However, Snowflake supports a diverse data ecosystem, offering extensive integration with various tools, including business intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics.

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Methods to Migrate Data from NetSuite to Snowflake

  • Method 1: Using Airbyte to move data from NetSuite to Snowflake
  • Method 2: Using CSV file Export/Import to manually migrate data from NetSuite to Snowflake

Method 1: Using Airbyte to Move Data from NetSuite to Snowflake

Airbyte is a widely known data integration tool for synchronizing various tools and platforms. Using a library of over 350+ pre-built connectors, it is designed to automate the connection between any source and destination, including NetSuite to Snowflake integration. Here is a detailed guide to how you can use Airbyte to move data from Netsuit to Snowflake within a few clicks: 

Step 1: Set NetSuite as the Source

  • Create an Airbyte account or log in to an existing one.
  • In the dashboard, select the Sources tab from the left navigation bar.
  • Next, look for the search field at the top of the Sources page and type in NetSuite.
  • Click on the NetSuite connector card as it appears.
  • You'll be directed to the Create a Source page of NetSuite. Fill in the following fields: Realm (Account Id), Consumer Key, Consumer Secret, Token Key (Token Id), Token Secret, and Start Date
  • Configure other Optional fields and click on Set up source

Step 2: Set Snowflake as Destination

  • Now click on the Destinations tab from the left navigation bar. 
  • On the Destinations page, type in Snowflake in the search field. 
  • Click on the Snowflake connector card.
  • You'll see the Create a destination page. Fill in fields including Host, Role, Database, Warehouse, Default_Schema, and Username.
  • Next, scroll down to Authorization Method and select OAuth2.0, Key Pair Authentication, Username, and Password.
  • You may configure other optional fields and then click on Set up destination

Step 3: Create a Connection to Sync NetSuite and Snowflake

  • Now that you have configured NetSuite as the source and Snowflake as the destination, you must establish a connection between them.
  • Simply select the Create a new connection option after creating the destination or click on the Connections tab from the left navigation menu.
  • Select NetSuite as the source (Step 1) and Snowflake as the destination (Step 2). 
  • Click on Create a connection
  • Provide a unique Connection name on the Create a connection page. 
  • Configure other details, including Replication frequency, Sync mode, and Streams section
  • Lastly, click Set up connection > Sync now to start synchronization between NetSuite and Snowflake. 

That's all it takes to migrate NetSuite data to the Snowflake warehouse using Airbyte.

Method 2: Using CSV Files to Migrate Data from NetSuite to Snowflake Manually

In this method, you will see how to manually move data from NetSuite to Snowflake. First, you must export all the data from NetSuite using Full CSV Export, then import the data in the Snowflake database by manually creating a table. While performing this process, you have to ensure that the structure of the Snowflake table matches the structure of the CSV file you exported from NetSuite. Here's a detailed guide:

Prerequisites

Step 1: Export Data From NetSuite in a CSV file

  • Login to the NetSuite web user interface. 
  • Look at the top right corner of the home page and click on Setup
  • From the drop-down menu, click on Import/Export > Export Tasks > Full CSV Export
  • Click on Submit.
  • A File Download popup will appear. Select Save this file to disk and then OK.
  • Give a unique name to the file in the Save As window.
  • The file will be downloaded as a zip on your local machine. You can extract it to access the CSV file with NetSuite data.

Step 2: Import NetSuite Data in Snowflake 

  • Log in to your Snowflake account.
  • In the main dashboard, look at the top left corner and select the Data > Databases option to see a list of your available databases.
  • Click on the database to load NetSuite data from Step 1.
  • If you don't have an existing database, click the +Database button on the top right.
  • Give a unique name to your database in the menu prompt.
  • A new database will appear on the list of databases. Click on the newly created database.
  • Create a schema by selecting the +Schema option on the database.
  • Select the schema you just created and click Create > Table > Standard
  • An SQL interface will appear. Write a SQL query to create a new table for loading NetSuite data. Make sure the table structure matches the CSV file structure you downloaded in Step 1, or else the formatting will be different.
  • Next, select the database table and click on Load Data from the top right.
  • Set the file format to CSV and optionally fill in the other fields.
  • The CSV file will be loaded into your Snowflake database. Preview the data to verify if the formatting meets your requirements.

That concludes the process. By carefully following the steps mentioned above, you can successfully migrate NetSuite data into Snowflake.

Limitations of Using Manual Method

  • Time and Resource Intensive: The manual method can be extremely time and resource-intensive when dealing with large datasets. Exporting data, formatting it correctly, and importing it to another database requires a significant amount of time and human resources with technical expertise in both platforms.
  • Lacks Automation: Unlike specialized data migration tools like Airbyte, the manual data replication method between NetSuite and Snowflake lacks automation capabilities. This increases the chances of task repetition, human error, and data loss.
  • Data Structure Complexity: The data exported from NetSuite can have complex structures that might not be well represented in CSV format. Ensuring the structure is properly mapped and maintained needs complex planning and implementation.

Conclusion

Now that you’ve understood two straightforward ways to migrate NetSuite to Snowflake, you can choose the one that suits your operational needs. The first method uses Airbyte. You can use this method to automate the whole process of connecting both tools. Airbyte helps automate the whole process of data integration and is suitable for huge datasets. The other method uses a manual import/export of CSV files for migrating data between NetSuite and Snowflake. It provides more flexibility and can be used for small to intermediate datasets. You can choose either of the approaches according to your specific business needs. However, we suggest using Airbyte to seamlessly perform NetSuite to Snowflake integration.

What should you do next?

Hope you enjoyed the reading. Here are the 3 ways we can help you in your data journey:

flag icon
Easily address your data movement needs with Airbyte Cloud
Take the first step towards extensible data movement infrastructure that will give a ton of time back to your data team. 
Get started with Airbyte for free
high five icon
Talk to a data infrastructure expert
Get a free consultation with an Airbyte expert to significantly improve your data movement infrastructure. 
Talk to sales
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Improve your data infrastructure knowledge
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and get the community’s new enlightening content along with Airbyte’s progress in their mission to solve data integration once and for all.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What data can you extract from Netsuite?

Netsuite's API provides access to a wide range of data categories, including:  

1. Financial data: This includes information related to accounting, billing, payments, and financial reporting.  
2. Customer data: This includes data related to customer profiles, orders, transactions, and interactions.  
3. Inventory data: This includes information related to inventory levels, stock movements, and product information.  
4. Sales data: This includes data related to sales orders, quotes, and opportunities.  
5. Marketing data: This includes data related to campaigns, leads, and marketing automation.  
6. Support data: This includes data related to customer support cases, tickets, and resolutions.  
7. Employee data: This includes data related to employee profiles, time tracking, and payroll.  
8. Custom data: This includes data related to custom fields, records, and workflows that are specific to a company's unique needs.  

Overall, Netsuite's API provides access to a comprehensive set of data categories that can be used to support a wide range of business processes and decision-making activities.

What data can you transfer to Snowflake destination?

You can transfer a wide variety of data to Snowflake destination. This usually includes structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data like transaction records, log files, JSON data, CSV files, and more, allowing robust, scalable data integration and analysis.

What are top ETL tools to transfer data from Netsuite to Snowflake destination?

The most prominent ETL tools to transfer data from Netsuite to Snowflake destination include:

  • Airbyte
  • Fivetran
  • Stitch
  • Matillion
  • Talend Data Integration

These tools help in extracting data from Netsuite and various sources (APIs, databases, and more), transforming it efficiently, and loading it into Snowflake destination and other databases, data warehouses and data lakes, enhancing data management capabilities.