Connect to and Query Snowflake Data in QlikView over ODBC



Create data visualizations with Snowflake data in QlikView.

The CData ODBC drivers expand your ability to work with data from more than 200 data sources. QlikView is a business discovery platform that provides self-service BI for all business users in an organization. This article outlines simple steps to connect to Snowflake data using the CData ODBC driver and create data visualizations in QlikView.

The CData ODBC drivers offer unmatched performance for interacting with live Snowflake data in QlikView due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries from QlikView to Snowflake, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Snowflake and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations (often SQL functions and JOIN operations) client-side. With built-in dynamic metadata querying, you can visualize and analyze Snowflake data using native QlikView data types.

Connect to Snowflake as an ODBC Data Source

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

To connect to Snowflake:

  1. Set User and Password to your Snowflake credentials and set the AuthScheme property to PASSWORD or OKTA.
  2. Set URL to the URL of the Snowflake instance (i.e.: https://myaccount.snowflakecomputing.com).
  3. Set Warehouse to the Snowflake warehouse.
  4. (Optional) Set Account to your Snowflake account if your URL does not conform to the format above.
  5. (Optional) Set Database and Schema to restrict the tables and views exposed.

See the Getting Started guide in the CData driver documentation for more information.

When you configure the DSN, you may also want to set the Max Rows connection property. This will limit the number of rows returned, which is especially helpful for improving performance when designing reports and visualizations.

Populate a Chart with Snowflake Data

The steps below supply the results of an SQL query to a visualization in QlikView. In this article, you will create a bar chart with the query below:

SELECT Id, ProductName FROM Products
  1. Click File -> Edit Script (or click the Edit Script button in the Toolbar).
  2. On the Data tab, select ODBC in the Database menu and click Connect.
  3. Select the DSN (CData Snowflake Sys) in the resulting dialog. A command like the following is generated: ODBC CONNECT TO [CData Snowflake Sys];
  4. Enter the SQL query directly into the script with the SQL command (or click Select to build the query in the SELECT statement wizard). SQL SELECT Id, ProductName FROM Products;

    Where possible, the SQL operations in the query, like filters and aggregations, will be pushed down to Snowflake, while any unsupported operations (which can include SQL functions and JOIN operations) will be managed client-side by the CData SQL engine embedded in the driver.

  5. Close the script editor and reload the document to execute the script.
  6. Click Tools -> Quick Chart Wizard. In the wizard, select the chart type. This example uses a bar chart. When building the chart, you have access to the fields from Snowflake, typed appropriately for QlikView, thanks to built-in dynamic metadata querying.
  7. When defining Dimensions, select Id in the First Dimension menu.
  8. When defining Expressions, click the summary function you want and select ProductName in the menu.
  9. Finish the wizard to generate the chart. The CData ODBC Driver for Snowflake connects to live Snowflake data, so the chart can be refreshed to see real-time changes. Live connections are possible and effective, thanks to the high-performance data processing native to CData ODBC Drivers.

Ready to get started?

Download a free trial of the Snowflake ODBC Driver to get started:

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Snowflake Enterprise Data Warehouse Icon Snowflake ODBC Driver

The Snowflake ODBC Driver is a powerful tool that allows you to connect with live Snowflake data warehouse, directly from any applications that support ODBC connectivity.

Access Snowflake like you would a database - read, write, and update through a standard ODBC Driver interface.