# Dbt Migration Ms SQL Server

> Transform SQL Server/Azure Synapse T-SQL DDL (views, tables, stored procedures) into Use when this capability is needed.

- Skill: `tomevault-io/dbt-migration-ms-sql-server` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/dbt-migration-ms-sql-server`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/dbt-migration-ms-sql-server/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/dbt-migration-ms-sql-server

---


# SQL Server / Azure Synapse to dbt Model Conversion

## Purpose

Transform SQL Server/Azure Synapse T-SQL DDL (views, tables, stored procedures) into
production-quality dbt models compatible with Snowflake, maintaining the same business logic and
data transformation steps while following dbt best practices.

## When to Use This Skill

Activate this skill when users ask about:

- Converting SQL Server views or tables to dbt models
- Migrating T-SQL stored procedures to dbt
- Translating T-SQL syntax to Snowflake
- Generating schema.yml files with tests and documentation
- Handling T-SQL-specific syntax (IDENTITY, TOP, #temp tables, TRY...CATCH)

---

## Task Description

You are a database engineer working for a hospital system. You need to convert SQL Server / Azure
Synapse DDL to equivalent dbt code compatible with Snowflake, maintaining the same business logic
and data transformation steps while following dbt best practices.

## Input Requirements

I will provide you the T-SQL DDL to convert.

## Audience

The code will be executed by data engineers who are learning Snowflake and dbt.

## Output Requirements

Generate the following:

1. One or more dbt models with complete SQL for every column
2. A corresponding schema.yml file with appropriate tests and documentation
3. A config block with materialization strategy
4. Explanation of key changes and architectural decisions
5. Inline comments highlighting any syntax that was converted

## Conversion Guidelines

### General Principles

- Replace procedural logic with declarative SQL where possible
- Break down complex procedures into multiple modular dbt models
- Implement appropriate incremental processing strategies
- Maintain data quality checks through dbt tests
- Use Snowflake SQL functions rather than macros whenever possible

### Sample Response Format

```sql
-- dbt model: models/[domain]/[target_schema_name]/model_name.sql
{{ config(materialized='view') }}

/* Original Object: [database].[schema].[object_name]
   Source Platform: SQL Server / Azure Synapse
   Purpose: [brief description]
   Conversion Notes: [key changes]
   Description: [SQL logic description] */

WITH source_data AS (
    SELECT
        customer_id::INTEGER AS customer_id,
        -- NVARCHAR converted to VARCHAR (Unicode handled natively)
        customer_name::VARCHAR(100) AS customer_name,
        -- MONEY converted to NUMBER(18,2)
        account_balance::NUMBER(18,2) AS account_balance,
        -- DATETIME converted to TIMESTAMP_NTZ
        created_date::TIMESTAMP_NTZ AS created_date
    FROM {{ ref('upstream_model') }}
),

transformed_data AS (
    SELECT
        customer_id,
        UPPER(customer_name)::VARCHAR(100) AS customer_name_upper,
        account_balance,
        created_date,
        CURRENT_TIMESTAMP()::TIMESTAMP_NTZ AS loaded_at
    FROM source_data
)

SELECT
    customer_id,
    customer_name_upper,
    account_balance,
    created_date,
    loaded_at
FROM transformed_data
```

```yaml
## models/[domain]/[target_schema_name]/_models.yml
version: 2

models:
  - name: model_name
    description:
      "Table description; converted from SQL Server / Azure Synapse [Original object name]"
    columns:
      - name: customer_id
        description: "Primary key - unique customer identifier"
        tests:
          - unique
          - not_null
      - name: customer_name_upper
        description: "Customer name in uppercase"
      - name: account_balance
        description: "Current account balance; Foreign key to OTHER_TABLE"
        tests:
          - relationships:
              to: ref('OTHER_TABLE')
              field: OTHER_TABLE_KEY
      - name: created_date
        description: "Date the customer record was created"
      - name: loaded_at
        description: "Timestamp when the record was loaded by dbt"
```

```yaml
## dbt_project.yml (excerpt)
models:
  my_project:
    +materialized: view
    domain_name:
      +schema: target_schema_name
```

### Specific Translation Rules

#### dbt Specific Requirements

- If the source is a view, use a view materialization in dbt
- Include appropriate dbt model configuration (materialization type)
- Add documentation blocks for a schema.yml
- Add descriptions for tables and columns
- Include relevant tests
- Define primary keys and relationships
- Assume that upstream objects are models
- Comprehensively provide all the columns in the output
- Break complex procedures into multiple models if needed
- Implement appropriate incremental strategies for large tables
- Use Snowflake SQL functions rather than macros whenever possible
- **Always cast columns with explicit precision/scale** using `::TYPE` syntax (e.g.,
  `column_name::VARCHAR(100)`, `amount::NUMBER(18,2)`) to ensure output matches expected data types
- **Always provide explicit column aliases** for clarity and documentation

#### Performance Optimization

- Suggest clustering keys if needed
- Recommend materialization strategy (view vs table)
- Identify potential performance improvements

#### SQL Server/T-SQL to Snowflake Syntax Conversion

- Replace TOP n with LIMIT n
- Convert IDENTITY columns to Snowflake IDENTITY or sequences
- Replace #temp tables with session-scoped temporary tables
- Convert TRY...CATCH to Snowflake exception handling
- Handle ANSI_NULLS and QUOTED_IDENTIFIER settings
- Replace sys.\* system tables with Snowflake equivalents
- Convert MERGE syntax differences
- Replace @@ROWCOUNT with ROW_COUNT()
- Convert NOLOCK hints (remove them)
- Add inline SQL comments highlighting any syntax that was converted

#### Key Data Type Mappings

| T-SQL                       | Snowflake        | Notes                     |
| --------------------------- | ---------------- | ------------------------- |
| INT/BIGINT/SMALLINT/TINYINT | Same             | All alias to NUMBER(38,0) |
| BIT                         | BOOLEAN          |                           |
| DECIMAL/NUMERIC             | DECIMAL/NUMERIC  |                           |
| FLOAT/REAL                  | FLOAT/REAL       |                           |
| MONEY/SMALLMONEY            | NUMBER(38,4)     |                           |
| CHAR/VARCHAR/TEXT           | Same             | VARCHAR(MAX) → VARCHAR    |
| NCHAR/NVARCHAR/NTEXT        | VARCHAR          | Unicode handled natively  |
| DATE                        | DATE             |                           |
| TIME                        | TIME             |                           |
| DATETIME/DATETIME2          | TIMESTAMP_NTZ    |                           |
| DATETIMEOFFSET              | TIMESTAMP_TZ     |                           |
| BINARY/VARBINARY/IMAGE      | BINARY/VARBINARY | Max 8MB                   |
| UNIQUEIDENTIFIER            | VARCHAR          |                           |
| XML                         | VARIANT          |                           |
| SQL_VARIANT                 | VARIANT          |                           |

#### Key Syntax Conversions

```sql
-- TOP → LIMIT
SELECT TOP 10 * FROM table → SELECT * FROM table LIMIT 10

-- IDENTITY → IDENTITY or AUTOINCREMENT
id INT IDENTITY(1,1) → id INT AUTOINCREMENT START 1 INCREMENT 1

-- #temp tables → TEMPORARY tables
CREATE TABLE #temp → CREATE TEMPORARY TABLE temp

-- TRY...CATCH → Exception handling
BEGIN TRY ... END TRY BEGIN CATCH ... END CATCH → BEGIN ... EXCEPTION WHEN OTHER THEN ... END

-- ISNULL → COALESCE or IFNULL
ISNULL(col, 0) → COALESCE(col, 0)

-- GETDATE()/GETUTCDATE() → CURRENT_TIMESTAMP/SYSDATE
GETDATE() → CURRENT_TIMESTAMP()

-- DATEADD/DATEDIFF → Same (Snowflake supports)
DATEADD(day, 1, col) → DATEADD(day, 1, col)

-- @@ROWCOUNT → ROW_COUNT()
@@ROWCOUNT → ROW_COUNT()

-- NOLOCK hints → Remove
SELECT * FROM table WITH (NOLOCK) → SELECT * FROM table
```

#### Common Function Mappings

| T-SQL                     | Snowflake                                      | Notes |
| ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ----- |
| `ISNULL(a, b)`            | `COALESCE(a, b)` or `IFNULL(a, b)`             |       |
| `COALESCE(...)`           | `COALESCE(...)`                                | Same  |
| `NULLIF(a, b)`            | `NULLIF(a, b)`                                 | Same  |
| `IIF(cond, a, b)`         | `IFF(cond, a, b)`                              |       |
| `GETDATE()`               | `CURRENT_TIMESTAMP()`                          |       |
| `GETUTCDATE()`            | `CONVERT_TIMEZONE('UTC', CURRENT_TIMESTAMP())` |       |
| `DATEADD(unit, n, d)`     | `DATEADD(unit, n, d)`                          | Same  |
| `DATEDIFF(unit, d1, d2)`  | `DATEDIFF(unit, d1, d2)`                       | Same  |
| `DATEPART(unit, d)`       | `DATE_PART(unit, d)`                           |       |
| `CONVERT(type, val)`      | `val::type` or `TRY_CAST(val AS type)`         |       |
| `CAST(val AS type)`       | `val::type`                                    |       |
| `CHARINDEX(s, str)`       | `POSITION(s IN str)`                           |       |
| `SUBSTRING(s, pos, len)`  | `SUBSTR(s, pos, len)`                          |       |
| `LEN(str)`                | `LENGTH(str)`                                  |       |
| `REPLICATE(str, n)`       | `REPEAT(str, n)`                               |       |
| `STUFF(s, pos, len, new)` | `INSERT(s, pos, len, new)`                     |       |
| `STRING_AGG(col, delim)`  | `LISTAGG(col, delim)`                          |       |
| `@@ROWCOUNT`              | `ROW_COUNT()`                                  |       |
| `@@IDENTITY`              | Use sequences or AUTOINCREMENT                 |       |

#### Dependencies

- List any upstream dependencies
- Suggest model organization in dbt project

---

## Validation Checklist

- [] Every DDL statement has been accounted for in the dbt models
- [] SQL in models is compatible with Snowflake
- [] T-SQL-specific syntax converted (IDENTITY, TOP, #temp tables, TRY...CATCH)
- [] All business logic preserved
- [] All columns included in output
- [] Data types correctly mapped
- [] Functions translated to Snowflake equivalents
- [] Materialization strategy selected
- [] Tests added
- [] SQL logic description complete
- [] Table descriptions added
- [] Column descriptions added
- [] Dependencies correctly mapped
- [] Incremental logic (if applicable) verified
- [] Inline comments added for converted syntax

---

## Related Skills

- $dbt-migration - For the complete migration workflow (discovery, planning, placeholder models,
  testing, deployment)
- $dbt-modeling - For CTE patterns and SQL structure guidance
- $dbt-testing - For implementing comprehensive dbt tests
- $dbt-architecture - For project organization and folder structure
- $dbt-materializations - For choosing materialization strategies (view, table, incremental,
  snapshots)
- $dbt-performance - For clustering keys, warehouse sizing, and query optimization
- $dbt-commands - For running dbt commands and model selection syntax
- $dbt-core - For dbt installation, configuration, and package management
- $snowflake-cli - For executing SQL and managing Snowflake objects

---

## Supported Source Database

| Database                       | Key Considerations                                                                                      |
| ------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **SQL Server / Azure Synapse** | T-SQL procedures, IDENTITY, TOP, #temp tables, TRY...CATCH, sys.\* tables, ANSI_NULLS/QUOTED_IDENTIFIER |

## Translation References

Detailed syntax translation guides are available in the `translation-references/` folder.

> **Copyright Notice:** The translation reference documentation in this repository is derived from
> [Snowflake SnowConvert Documentation](https://docs.snowflake.com/en/migrations/snowconvert-docs)
> and is © Copyright Snowflake Inc. All rights reserved. Used for reference purposes only.

### Reference Index

- [ETL BI Repointing Power BI Transact Repointing](translation-references/ms-sql-server-etl-bi-repointing-power-bi-transact-repointing.md)
- [Overview (README)](translation-references/ms-sql-server-readme.md)
- [SSIS Readme](translation-references/ms-sql-server-ssis-readme.md)
- [Subqueries](translation-references/ms-sql-server-subqueries.md)
- [Transact Continue Handler](translation-references/ms-sql-server-transact-continue-handler.md)
- [Transact Create Function](translation-references/ms-sql-server-transact-create-function.md)
- [Transact Create Procedure Snow Script](translation-references/ms-sql-server-transact-create-procedure-snow-script.md)
- [Transact Create Procedure](translation-references/ms-sql-server-transact-create-procedure.md)
- [Transact Exit Handler](translation-references/ms-sql-server-transact-exit-handler.md)
- [Alter Statement](translation-references/transact-alter-statement.md)
- [Ansi Nulls](translation-references/transact-ansi-nulls.md)
- [Built In Functions](translation-references/transact-built-in-functions.md)
- [Built In Procedures](translation-references/transact-built-in-procedures.md)
- [Create Function](translation-references/transact-create-function.md)
- [Create Index](translation-references/transact-create-index.md)
- [Create Materialized View](translation-references/transact-create-materialized-view.md)
- [Create Procedure Snow Script](translation-references/transact-create-procedure-snow-script.md)
- [Create Table](translation-references/transact-create-table.md)
- [Create View](translation-references/transact-create-view.md)
- [Data Types](translation-references/transact-data-types.md)
- [Dmls](translation-references/transact-dmls.md)
- [General Statements](translation-references/transact-general-statements.md)
- [Quoted Identifier](translation-references/transact-quoted-identifier.md)
- [Select](translation-references/transact-select.md)
- [System Tables](translation-references/transact-system-tables.md)

---
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