How to Insert Data in Snowflake

Snowflake Insertion operation updates the table by inserting multiple rows into a table. Values inserted into every column in the table can be externally defined or the results of the query. We can insert the data with parameters and without parameters. This “How to Insert Data in Snowflake” blog discusses inserting data through different techniques. 

Insert Data in Snowflake

In Snowflake, data insertion is a very easy process. By specifying the values, we can insert the data into Snowflake tables. The important aspect is we have to pass every value in order. For example, if we have 15 columns, we have to specify 15 columns.

Insert into sessions1 values (2, ‘2022-03-10 10:15:19.400’, ‘2022-04-10 10:35:19.400’, 1);

Specifying Columns list before the “VALUES” is highly recommended:

Insert into sessions1 (id, start_date, end_date, category)
Values (13, ‘2022-03-09 16:15:19.500’, ‘2022-03-11 17:53:57.753’, 2);

After specifying the column list, we don’t need to remember the column order as specified in the Snowflake table. 

Insert into sessions1 (category, id, start_date, end_date)
values(2,3, ‘2022-06-08 15:05:15.500’, ‘2022:08:10  17:07:53.600’);

If we include the Columns list, we can have the following advantages:

• We don’t need to define the values for every column.
• If we have various columns, it is easy to match the value to the target column when we view it in the statement, instead of looking at the table definition.
• The “INSERT” statements without the column lists are disproved when the column is removed or added from a table. We have to change the query to impact the deleted or new column in order to work again. 

For example, if you have various columns, we have to specify only some columns:

Insert into sessions1(start_date, id) values (5, ‘2022-05-03 15:17:35.600’);

Inserting Multiple Rows

Using a Single “INSERT” statement, we can insert multiple rows by enclosing multiple set of values enveloped in the parenthesis:

Insert into sessions1 (category, start_date, end_date, id)
values
(7, ‘2022-05-03  16:10:25.500’, ‘2022-03-04 17:15:45.553’, 5),
(6, ‘2022-03-05 17:20:25.300’, ‘2022-09-05 18:25:10.500’, 6),
(8, ‘2022-05-07 19:15:20.200’, ‘2022-07-09 21:05:09.600’, 7);

We can also utilise the “CREATE TABLE” with the “SELECT” command for copying the data from the existing table.

---excluding the column list specification

Create table sessions_dm_2 as
Select *
from sessions1
Where id <=6

Inserting JSON Values

If we have to insert the data into the JSON column, just enclose valid JSON in a quoted string

Insert into sessions1(dates) values( ‘ {“start_date”: “2022-05-07 17:10:20.600”, “end_date”: “2022-08-09 16:12:25.180”}’);

Conclusion

As Snowflake is data storage and process platform, hence data insertion is an essential process. We hope this blog will provide you with the necessary knowledge on data insertion.

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