SnowConvert AI - Informatica PowerCenter¶
SnowConvert AI automatically converts Informatica PowerCenter to Snowflake. It reads your exported PowerCenter repository (the mappings, workflows, transformations, and expressions) and produces runnable Snowflake code, so you can migrate data pipelines without rewriting them by hand.
This guide is the translation reference: it explains how each Informatica element maps to Snowflake, what the generated code looks like, and where to review manual follow-ups. Use it alongside the ETL Migration user guide, which covers the end-to-end migration process, prerequisites, and how to run a conversion.
How Informatica concepts map to Snowflake¶
The following table maps each Informatica concept to its Snowflake or dbt counterpart:
| Informatica PowerCenter | Snowflake / dbt | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow | Task graph | The orchestration order becomes a graph of Snowflake Tasks. |
| Session | Snowflake Task that runs a Mapping | Each Session runs its Mapping’s dbt project (or calls its procedure). |
| Worklet | Stored procedure | A reusable sub-workflow becomes a stored procedure the Task graph calls. |
| Mapping | dbt project | The data flow becomes a standalone dbt project of models. |
| Transformation | dbt model | Each transformation becomes a SQL model (a SELECT, join, or CTE). |
| Mapplet | dbt macro | A reusable transformation group becomes a macro. |
| Source and Source Qualifier | Staging model | Source reads become stg_ staging models that read from the tables defined in sources.yml. |
| Target | Mart model | Targets become the business-ready marts models. |
| Mapping and Workflow variables | control_variables table | Variables and parameters move to a runtime control table. |
| Expression function | Snowflake SQL function | Built-in functions convert to Snowflake equivalents. |
Output formats¶
SnowConvert AI produces two output formats. The generated Snowflake code differs by format, so this guide documents each one separately:
| Output format | Status | What you get | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| dbt project | Generally available | Each Mapping becomes a dbt project; Workflows become Task graphs that run those projects. | Informatica to dbt |
| Snowflake Scripting | Preview, in active development | Each Mapping becomes a Snowflake stored procedure; Workflows call those procedures directly. | Informatica to Snowflake Scripting |
Several references are shared across both output formats, because the orchestration and the generated Snowflake expressions are the same regardless of format:
- Workflows and orchestration: how Workflows become Snowflake Task graphs.
- Variables and parameters: the
control_variablestable, parameter files, and variable scope. - Expression functions: Informatica functions and their Snowflake equivalents.
- Data types: how PowerCenter data types map to Snowflake types.
Supported components at a glance¶
The tables below list the Informatica components SnowConvert AI recognizes and which output formats support them today. Unlisted components generate an EWI code that flags the component for manual conversion.
Mapping transformations (data flow)¶
| Transformation | dbt | Snowflake Scripting |
|---|---|---|
| Source Definition | Available | Available |
| Source Qualifier | Available | Available |
| Expression | Available | Available |
| Target Definition | Available | Available |
| Filter | Available | Planned |
| Joiner | Available | Planned |
| Lookup (connected and unconnected) | Available | Planned |
| Aggregator | Available | Planned |
| Router | Available | Planned |
| Sorter | Available | Planned |
| Union | Available | Planned |
| Normalizer | Available | Planned |
| Rank | Available | Planned |
| Sequence Generator | Available | Planned |
| Update Strategy | Available | Planned |
| Stored Procedure | Available | Planned |
| Mapplet | Available | Planned |
Workflow elements (control flow)¶
| Element | dbt | Snowflake Scripting |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow and Start task | Available | Available |
| Session | Available | Available |
| Session overrides (Pre/Post-SQL, SQL Override) | Available | Available |
| Worklet | Available | Available |
| Decision, Assignment, and Email tasks | Available | Available |
| Variable and parameter management | Available | Available |
Note
The Snowflake Scripting output format is in active development. For data-flow transformations it currently emits Source, Source Qualifier, Expression, and Target; other transformations are converted in the dbt format today. See Informatica to Snowflake Scripting for the current status.
Naming and sanitization rules¶
To keep generated dbt model names and ref() calls valid and aligned, SnowConvert AI sanitizes Informatica object names: any character outside A–Z, a–z, 0–9, and the underscore (_) is replaced with an underscore. Letter case is preserved.
| Informatica name | Generated name |
|---|---|
SQ_DimCurrency | SQ_DimCurrency |
m_load-customer data | m_load_customer_data |
LKP@Currency | LKP_Currency |
dbt models follow the three-tier naming convention: staging models use the stg_raw__ prefix, intermediate models use the int_ prefix, and mart models take the target table name. See Informatica to dbt for details.
Get started¶
- Read the ETL Migration user guide for prerequisites and how to run a conversion.
- Choose your output format: Informatica to dbt (generally available) or Informatica to Snowflake Scripting (preview).
- Use the shared Expression functions and Data types references as you review the generated code.