FAQ

How do I use the Reverse ETL feature?

RudderStack’s Reverse ETL feature lets you set up your data warehouse as a source in RudderStack and route the data residing in it to your preferred destination.

To use this feature, follow these steps:

1. Set up a Reverse ETL source in RudderStack.
2. Connect it to a new or existing destination.
3. Specify the warehouse data you want to sync to that destination.

Can I use Reverse ETL to ingest streaming data from the warehouse?

Reverse ETL does not support ingesting streaming data. It is not built to handle the rapidly changing data in the warehouse.

Can I replay data from a Reverse ETL source in case of failure?

RudderStack does not support replaying data from Reverse ETL sources.

How much time does it take for the synced data to appear in the destination?

RudderStack sends the records to the destination pretty quickly. It takes around a couple of minutes in most cases but it may take longer depending on the destination type. However, the sync metrics may take some more time (around 10 minutes) to reflect in the RudderStack dashboard.

If you see a prompt on the sync stating “Records sent to destination, finalizing sync stats”, it indicates that the records have successfully reached the destination.

Can I connect a Reverse ETL source to multiple destinations?

This feature does not support connecting one source to multiple destinations currently.

Therefore, if you want to send data from a Reverse ETL source to multiple destinations, it is recommended to create multiple copies of the Reverse ETL source with the same settings and connect them with each of the destinations.

I cannot add a Reverse ETL source to an already configured destination. Why?

The Reverse ETL feature supports only source-driven configuration of your pipeline. So, you need to configure a new or existing Reverse ETL source in RudderStack and then connect it to a new or existing destination. Note that this destination should not be connected to any other source.

Can I connect a warehouse source to a warehouse destination in RudderStack?

No, RudderStack does not support connecting a Reverse ETL (warehouse) source to a warehouse destination.

Which events are supported by the Reverse ETL sources?

Reverse ETL sources support sending the identify and track events. Refer to the Syncing Events guide for more information on how to send these events.

What is the difference between the Table, Model, and Audience options when creating a Reverse ETL source?

When creating a new Reverse ETL source, you are presented with the following three options from which RudderStack syncs the source data:

• When you choose Table, RudderStack imports all data associated with the specified warehouse table during the sync.
• When you choose Model, RudderStack imports the data by running the query specified in the connected model during the sync.
• When you choose Audience, RudderStack syncs the audience you created in the RudderStack dashboard.

Note that:

• MySQL source supports syncing data only from a warehouse table. Similarly, S3 supports syncing data only from your S3 bucket. Hence, you will not see these options while setting up these sources.
• PostgreSQL source supports syncing data only from a warehouse table and model. You will not see the Audience option while setting up this source.

What is the difference between Basic, CRON, and Manual schedule settings?

When creating a new Reverse ETL source, RudderStack lets you schedule your data imports and define how and when the data syncs will run.

RudderStack defines the following three sync schedule types:

For more information, refer to the Sync Schedule Settings guide.

What is the difference between Upsert and Mirror mode when syncing data?

RudderStack supports two modes (available based on the source and the chosen destination) that let you define how you want to sync your data. These are Upsert and Mirror mode.

• In the Upsert mode, RudderStack supports insertion of new records and updates to the existing records, while syncing data to the destination.
• In the Mirror mode, RudderStack ‘mirrors’ the source by keeping the destination data the same as the source data. It performs insertion, updates, and deletion of records while syncing data to the destination.

For more information, refer to the Sync Modes guide.

I’m unable to run a sync manually and get the message “Your pipeline is paused. Make sure that the source and at least one destination is enabled”. What do I do?

This message appears when either your Reverse ETL source, the connected destination, or both are disabled. Go to the Settings tab to verify if the source and destination are enabled for data syncs.

Questions? Contact us by email or on Slack