Learn to load and query data in Snowflake with Greg Trzeciak. This beginner class covers loading CSV/JSON/Parquet, organizing data, writing selects, joins, aggregations—plus tips to tune performance, manage costs, and share.
Bring your data to life in the cloud. In Snowflake: Loading and Querying Data, Greg Trzeciak walks you through the essential, beginner-friendly steps to get data into Snowflake and make it useful fast. You’ll explore simple ways to load files (like CSV, JSON, and Parquet), understand where that data lives, and practice reliable patterns for both one-time and ongoing ingestion. Along the way, you’ll pick up practical setup tips so you can follow the same steps in your own account with confidence.
Once your data is in, you’ll learn how to ask it good questions. Greg guides you through the basics of querying—selecting, filtering, joining, and summarizing—plus handy techniques for working with semi-structured data. You’ll see how to keep things speedy and cost-aware by choosing the right compute, and how features like views and simple best practices make your work easy to share and maintain. By the end, you’ll have an end-to-end workflow: load cleanly, query clearly, and deliver answers your team can trust.
Course Outline ( Free Preview)
Module 01 - Introduction
Meet Greg and get a quick tour of what you’ll build: a simple, end-to-end workflow to load files into Snowflake and query them with confidence. You’ll see how the modules fit together, what tools we’ll use, and the skills you’ll take away for real projects.
Module 02 - Loading Options in Snowflake
Explore the main ways to get data into Snowflake. Greg compares one-time vs. repeatable loads, internal vs. external stages, and UI vs. script-based approaches—so you can pick the right method for your team’s datasets, cadence, and budget.
Module 03 - Data Loading Overview16 min.
Learn the flow from raw file to queryable table. We’ll cover stages, file formats, target tables, and load commands at a high level, plus common patterns (append, replace) and where validation and basic quality checks fit in.
Module 04 - Uploading Files to a Stage5 min.
Get hands-on with stages—the landing zone for files before loading. Greg shows how to create a stage, upload sample files, preview what’s there, and keep things tidy with folders and naming conventions that scale.
Module 05 - COPY INTO10 min.
Load data like a pro using COPY INTO. You’ll see how to reference your stage and file format, map files to columns, and track what loaded vs. what didn’t. Greg shares tips for idempotent loads and safely re-running jobs.
Module 06 - Loading Data Into Our First Database12 min.
Create a database, schema, and target table, then run your first full load. You’ll understand the role of file formats, column types, and load options—and confirm success with simple row counts and spot checks.
Module 07 - Bringing in Local Sourced Data13 min.
Start from files on your machine and move them into Snowflake reliably. Greg demonstrates uploading to an internal stage, organizing batches, and documenting the steps so teammates can repeat the same process.
Module 08 - Querying Loaded Data3 min.
Time to ask questions of your newly loaded tables. Practice selects, filters, sorting, and basic joins, and learn quick tricks for checking distributions, detecting nulls, and verifying that data landed as expected.
Module 09 - Advanced Querying Example5 min.
Level up your SQL with a realistic scenario. Greg walks through a multi-table join, derived columns, and aggregations, showing how to structure queries for clarity—and how to validate that results match business logic.
Module 10 - Querying Larger Datasets10 min.
Work smoothly at scale. You’ll learn practical tactics—pruning with filters, sensible projections, choosing an appropriate warehouse size, and saving results with views—so big queries stay fast and cost-aware.
Module 11 - Ways to Handle Errors in Our Data20 min.
Not every file is perfect. Explore options for handling bad rows, logging load errors, and reprocessing only what failed. Greg shows how to isolate problem records without blocking good data from moving forward.
Module 12 - Bring in Other Forms of Data2 min.
Go beyond CSV. Learn how to set up file formats for JSON and Parquet, when to prefer each, and how mixed sources can coexist in the same pipeline. You’ll see how choices here impact downstream queries.
Module 13 - Working with JSON11 min.
Harness semi-structured data using VARIANT and dot notation. Greg demonstrates flattening arrays, extracting nested fields, and turning JSON into clean, tabular views your analysts will love.
Module 14 - Connecting to Azure Blob Storage5 min.
Load directly from the cloud by creating an external stage that points to Azure Blob Storage. You’ll walk through the high-level steps—secure access, define the stage, and run a COPY INTO—and learn best practices for paths and file partitioning.
Module 15 - Class Wrap Up1 min.
Review the end-to-end workflow: stage → load → query → optimize. Greg recaps key commands, common pitfalls, and a simple checklist you can reuse on your next dataset—plus ideas for scheduling, monitoring, and growing your Snowflake skills.
Gregory Trzeciak has his master’s degree in Education from the University of Florida. He has 9 years of teaching experience in high school, college level, and summer programs where he was recognized as a top educator and leader in interactive education. As a trainer at Pragmatic Works, his primary goal is to help individuals gain confidence in using Power BI and the Power Platform. While not in the office, he enjoys fantasy football, walking his dog, and running half-marathons!
