Create a Record Type for Snowflake

If your data lives in Snowflake, you can create a record type to connect to your Snowflake instance using direct data access or optimized data access. A record type that connects to Snowflake is known as a Snowflake-backed record type.

Snowflake is listed as a data source shortcut by default, which lets you connect the record type to a Snowflake connected system without additional configuration.

To create a Snowflake-backed record type:

1. Create a Snowflake connected system.
2. Create a record type object.
3. Choose a data access method.
4. Connect the record type to Snowflake using your preferred data access method.

Create a connected system

To connect a record type to Snowflake, you must first configure a Snowflake connected system.

Create a record type object

To create a record type:

1. In your application, go to the Build view.
2. Click NEW > Record Type.

3. In Create Record Type, configure the following properties:

   Property	Description
   Name	The name of the record type that is displayed in the Appian Designer. For example, in the Appian Retail application, you could have AR Order, AR Customer, or AR Support Ticket. Follow the recommended naming standard when creating this name.
   Display Name (Plural)	The name of the record type in plural form. For example, Orders, Customers, or Support Tickets. This is the name that business users see in Process HQ, Tempo, and as the search placeholder text in the record list and any records-powered grids.
   Description	The description of the record type shown in Process HQ, Tempo, and in Appian Designer. Click Generate AI Description to allow Appian AI Copilot to generate a record type description for you.

4. Click Create.
5. In the Review Application Security dialog, review the record type security settings.
6. Click SAVE.

Choose a data access method

After you create the record type object, choose a data access method to connect to your Snowflake data. The data access method determines the type of record type you create and the features available to you.

Data access method	Record type created	Data fabric features
Direct data access	Unsynced record type	Most features
Optimized data access	Synced record type	All features

Appian recommends using direct data access for Snowflake-backed record types. Snowflake often contains your entire history of data and provides distributed compute and strong performance for analyzing large volumes of data. Direct data access lets you query Snowflake directly while still giving you access to data fabric features like record type relationships and record-level security.

Use optimized data access if you need access to all data fabric features. When syncing data from Snowflake, use sync filters to sync only the data that is needed for your use case.

For a detailed comparison of each method, see Data Access for Record Types.

Connect to Snowflake

After choosing a data access method, connect the record type to your Snowflake database. Follow the steps for your chosen method.

Use direct data access

Connecting to a Snowflake database with direct data access creates an unsynced record type. Appian queries the source data directly while still giving you access to data fabric features like relationships and record-level security.

To connect a record type to a database using direct data access:

1. In your new record type, go to Data Model.
2. Click Tell Us About Your Data.

3. Select Snowflake.

   

   Scroll or drag to pan · ⌘+/⌘− to zoom · Esc to close

4. Click NEXT.

5. For Choose how to access data, select Direct Data Access.

   Relationships and all related features are enabled by default and can't be disabled.

   

   Scroll or drag to pan · ⌘+/⌘− to zoom · Esc to close

6. Click NEXT.
7. For Choose Snowflake Table or View, keep Browse selected to see a list of available Snowflake connected systems.
8. Select your Snowflake connected system.
9. Select a schema.

10. (Optional) If you want to limit the list to the default schema defined in the data source, then select the Show only the default schema checkbox.

    Tip:  Selecting a table or view from the default schema prevents connection issues when deploying the record type to an environment where the schema name is different. If the schema names differ between environments, a schema mismatch error occurs.

11. Select a table or view.

    A preview of the data appears.

12. Click NEXT.
13. For Select primary key field and unique fields, configure the following:
    • Primary Key Field: From the dropdown, select a field of any data type to use as the primary key. A primary key field is required.
    • Unique Fields: (Optional) Select any fields that contain all unique values. Unique fields can be used as a common field on the one-side of a record type relationship configuration.

14. In the grid of fields, clear the checkbox next to any source fields you don't want to include in the record type. By default, all source fields are selected. A record type can have up to 100 fields.

    Note:  Some database column types are not supported in Appian. Fields with unsupported column types do not appear in the list of available fields. For details, see Unsupported Database Column Types.

15. Configure the following field properties:

    Property	Action
    Record Field Name	Enter the name for the record field. This is the name that will be used to reference the field in Appian Designer.
    Record Field Type	Select the data type for the record field. Appian automatically suggest types based on the data type in the source. Appian recommends at least the following changes: For fields containing usernames, change the type from Text to User. For fields containing group identifiers, change the type from Number (Integer) to Group. For fields containing more than 4,000 characters, change the type from Text to Extra Long Text. You can only have a maximum of 3 Extra Long Text fields on a record type for optimal performance.
    Display Name	Enter a user-friendly field name to display to business users in Process HQ. Use title case formatting and spaces in the display name so it's easy for users to read. For example, Year-to-Date. When this field is blank, the Record Field Name is displayed in Process HQ using title case formatting.
    Description	Enter a description of the field to display to business users in Process HQ.

16. Drag and drop the rows to change the order in which the record fields are displayed.
17. Click FINISH.
18. Click SAVE.

Use optimized data access

Connecting to Snowflake with optimized data access creates a synced record type. Appian syncs your source data in the record type, which enables automatic query optimization and access to all data fabric features.

To connect a record type to Snowflake using optimized data access:

1. In your new record type, go to Data Model.
2. Click Tell Us About Your Data.

3. Select Snowflake.

   

   Scroll or drag to pan · ⌘+/⌘− to zoom · Esc to close

4. Click NEXT.

5. For Choose how to access data, select Optimized Data Access.

   

   Scroll or drag to pan · ⌘+/⌘− to zoom · Esc to close

6. Click NEXT.
7. For Choose Snowflake Table or View, keep Browse selected to see a list of available Snowflake connected systems.
8. Select a connected system.
9. Select a schema or data catalog.

10. (Optional) If you want to limit the list to the default schema defined in the data source, then select the Show only the default schema checkbox.

    Tip:  Selecting a table or view from the default schema prevents connection issues when deploying the record type to an environment where the schema name is different. If the schema names differ between environments, a schema mismatch error occurs.

11. Select a database table or view.

    A preview of the data appears.

12. Click NEXT.

13. For Configure Sync Filters, configure the following properties:

    Property	Action
    Sync Options	Enable the following sync options as needed: Select the Schedule full sync checkbox to sync all source data once a day or once a week. Select the Keep data available at high volumes checkbox to dynamically sync the latest rows of data.
    Sync Filters	Add sync filters to specify which data is synced in the record type: Click Add Filter. Select a source field to filter by. Only source types that can be converted to Appian types appear in the dropdown. Select the operator to apply to the filter. Use the context menu next to the field to select how you want to pass the value into the filter. The options in this menu change based on the data type of the field selected. You can enter a static value or enter an expression. Click Add Filter to add additional filters. Multiple filters are evaluated with an AND operator. Click TEST FILTER to validate the filter conditions. You can add additional sync filters after configuring the source of the record type, where you can filter by source fields and by a relationship.

14. Click NEXT.
15. For Select primary key field and unique fields, configure the following:
    • Primary Key Field: From the dropdown, select a field of any data type to use as the primary key. A primary key field is required.
    • Unique Fields: (Optional) Select any fields that contain all unique values. Unique fields can be used as a common field on the one-side of a record type relationship configuration.

16. In the grid of fields, clear the checkbox next to any source fields you don't want to include in the record type. By default, all source fields are selected. A record type can have up to 100 fields.

    Note:  Some database column types are not supported in Appian. Fields with unsupported column types do not appear in the list of available fields. For details, see Unsupported Database Column Types.

17. Configure the following field properties:

    Property	Action
    Record Field Name	Enter the name for the record field. This is the name that will be used to reference the field in Appian Designer.
    Record Field Type	Select the data type for the record field. Appian automatically suggest types based on the data type in the source. Appian recommends at least the following changes: For fields containing usernames, change the type from Text to User. For fields containing group identifiers, change the type from Number (Integer) to Group. For fields containing more than 4,000 characters, change the type from Text to Extra Long Text. You can only have a maximum of 3 Extra Long Text fields on a record type for optimal performance.
    Display Name	Enter a user-friendly field name to display to business users in Process HQ. Use title case formatting and spaces in the display name so it's easy for users to read. For example, Year-to-Date. When this field is blank, the Record Field Name is displayed in Process HQ using title case formatting.
    Description	Enter a description of the field to display to business users in Process HQ.

18. Drag and drop the rows to change the order in which the record fields are displayed.
19. Click FINISH.
20. Click SAVE.

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