Frequently Asked Questions

01. Getting Started

What do I need to get started using Fivetran?

Sign up here for a 14-day trial and follow the steps to get your data flowing. Alternatively, you can request a personalized demo from our team here

What data sources does Fivetran offer connectors for?

Fivetran offers 400+ data source connectors and we regularly add new connectors. View the full list here. If you don’t see a source you need, send us an email and let us know. We add new connectors based on customer requests.

Where can I find more detailed information about Fivetran connectors?
What if I don’t see a source that I need in your list of connectors?

Talk to your product specialist or submit a support ticket indicating the source you need and your request will get routed to the correct person. The more requests we get for a source, the higher we prioritize building the new connectors.

Which data warehouse should I use?

Fivetran supports multiple warehouses including Azure Synapse, BigQuery, MySQL, Panoply, Periscope, PostgreSQL, Redshift, Snowflake and SQL Server. Learn more about price, performance and features of five of the most popular data warehouses here.

What warehouses does Fivetran support?

See a list of supported warehouses here.

How can I add multiple warehouses?
  1. Log into your warehouse, you will notice your Account name in the upper lefthand corner.
  2. Underneath the Account name in the upper lefthand corner you will see the name of your warehouse. Click on the arrow to view the dropdown menu.
  3. Select ‘Manage Account’ in the dropdown menu.
  4. Click the ‘+ Warehouse’ option.
  5. Enter your new warehouse name and select ‘Add warehouse.’

02. Data Extraction and Loading

How frequently can Fivetran sync data?

As fast as every minute.

Is the data load time configurable?

Yes, you can adjust the load time to run as frequent as every five minutes and as infrequent as every 24 hours.

Why wouldn’t I choose to load all of my data every five minutes?

While frequent data loads will give you more up-to-date data, there are a few reasons you wouldn’t want to load your data every five minutes, including:

  • Higher API usage may cause you to hit a limit that could impact other systems that rely on that API.
  • Higher cost of loading data into your warehouse.
  • More frequent delays, resulting in increased delay notification emails. For instance, if the data source generally takes several hours to update but you choose five-minute increments, you may receive a delay notification every sync.

We generally recommend setting the incremental loads to every hour to help limit API calls.

Is there a way to know the estimated time to completion for the first historic sync?

No. Support can provide an update in progress upon request, but it will not include an estimated time of completion.

Why can’t I see any data?

If you just set up your trial, it could take anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days to complete the historical sync depending on the size of your data source. If it has been several days, please submit a support ticket and we will look into it.

What is the average data load time for each ad application source?

Most ad sources complete a historical sync in less than a day. However, the amount of data in the source and API rate limits may cause this to vary.

03. Transformations and Automated Schema Changes

How does Fivetran handle changes in the source, such as schema or API changes?

Our pipelines are configured to handle new fields or tables added to your source gracefully, so you don’t need to make manual adjustments in the UI. We constantly monitor and stay ahead of API changes or deprecations so you don’t need to think about it.

Do I have to do anything if an API endpoint is changed?

No, the Fivetran team will update the connector. Fivetran is fully managed, including managing your destination schema in addition to staying ahead of API changes for all connectors. This is one of our core philosophies.

Can Fivetran help with data transformation?

Yes, Fivetran can currently schedule SQL-based transformations to run in your destination on either a regular configured schedule or when new data loads. We also support integration with dbt (data build tool) to run your models.

04. Security and Data Audits

How secure is Fivetran?

We take security very seriously. Learn more here

Where is Fivetran hosted?

Fivetran has servers globally across different cloud providers. You can view all regions and cloud hosts here.

How is my data encrypted?

In rest and in transit. Learn more here.

Can I block specific data from replicating into my warehouse?

Yes, you can block both specific tables and specific columns. This is especially helpful for sensitive information such as personally identifiable information (PII).

Does Fivetran support SSH?

Yes. Learn more here.

Do you have access to my data?

Fivetran can only access your data with your approval.

Does Fivetran store my data long-term?

Data is purged as soon as successfully written to the destination in most instances. Learn more here.

Is Fivetran GDPR compliant?

Yes. At Fivetran we take data privacy seriously. Read more here.

Does Fivetran offer advanced logging?

Yes, you can connect your logging system to Fivetran. Learn more here.

Where can I get more detailed information about my sync history?

Find details on Fivetran audit tables here.

What should I do if the data looks incomplete?

We recommend that you first check the Fivetran audit table (more information here). If you still do not see the data you need, please contact the Fivetran support team by submitting a support ticket.

Why do I only see two years of data for AdWords and Facebook?

For customers that run a lot of campaigns, we’ve seen syncs take more than 24 hours for AdWords and Facebook. In order to make the process faster, we only sync the most recent two years of data automatically. If you would like to see more history, submit a support ticket. Do remember, however, that these bigger historical syncs can take days and incremental updates will be paused in the interim.

05. Billing and Support

How much does Fivetran cost?

Fivetran pricing is volume based. You will be charged based on what you use, defined as the number of monthly active rows (MAR). The number of MAR is variable based on the data sources you connect and your specific business. Please contact us to receive help with a quote or use this blog resource to determine the cost yourself.

How do I contact the Fivetran support team?

Submit a support ticket here.

What is a Monthly Active Row?

It is defined as the number of distinct primary keys synced via the Fivetran plan calculated on a per-account basis. We only count rows once per Billing Period, even if they sync multiple times.

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