You are tasked with loading data from a Parquet file into a Snowflake table. The Parquet file contains a column with a timestamp datatype. However, the timestamp values are being incorrectly loaded in

Question

Options

• AModify the Parquet file to align with the default Snowflake timestamp format.
• BUse the 'TIMESTAMP_FORMAT option within the 'COPY INTO' command with the appropriate
• CCreate a view on top of the Parquet file and apply a 'TO_TIMESTAMP' function with the correct
• DSet the 'TIME ZONE parameter at the session level before running the 'COPY INTO* command.
• EUpdate the Snowflake table column datatype to TEXT and then CAST the values.

• A
  3% (1)
• B
  72% (26)
• C
  3% (1)
• D
  8% (3)
• E
  14% (5)

Explanation

Option B is correct because the COPY INTO command's TIMESTAMP_FORMAT option lets Snowflake parse the timestamp string exactly as it appears in the source Parquet file - no file modification or schema changes needed, just a format mask like 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI:SS' passed inline.

Why the distractors fail:

• A - Modifying the source Parquet file is impractical, error-prone, and breaks the principle of keeping raw source data intact.
• C - Views can't be created directly on Parquet stage files in Snowflake; this conflates external table concepts and still doesn't solve the load-time parsing issue.
• D - The TIME_ZONE session parameter handles timezone offset interpretation, not timestamp format parsing - a different problem entirely.
• E - Loading as TEXT and casting later is a workaround, not a solution; it bypasses type validation, risks silent data quality issues, and adds unnecessary steps.

Memory tip: Think of TIMESTAMP_FORMAT as the "Rosetta Stone" you hand to COPY INTO - it tells Snowflake how to read the timestamp dialect in your file before it ever touches the table.

No community discussion yet for this question.