Fintel AnalyticsSnowflake Query Spilling to Remote Storage: Find & Fix It
Remote spill is the slowest, costliest way a Snowflake query can run. Here is the SQL to find every spilling query and dbt model, and how to fix them.
Fintel Analytics blog
Data & AI Insights
Expert perspectives on data analytics, AI agents, internal tools, and business intelligence from the Fintel Analytics team.
42 of 206 posts
dbt Models Reading BigQuery Views: The Hidden Recompute Tax
When dbt models read from BigQuery views instead of materialised tables, BigQuery silently recomputes the full view logic every time — costing you money you never see coming. Here's how to find it and fix it.
BigQuery External Tables as dbt Sources: The Hidden Traps
BigQuery external tables look like a cheap shortcut in your dbt pipeline — until they silently inflate your query bill and break your freshness checks. Here is what actually happens in production.
BigQuery referenced_tables: Find dbt Models Scanning Ghost Tables
dbt models can silently scan BigQuery tables that never appear in your DAG. Here's how to find them in under five minutes using INFORMATION_SCHEMA.JOBS.
BigQuery require_partition_filter: Find Tables Missing the Guard
Partitioned BigQuery tables without require_partition_filter set are silently full-scanned every run. Here's how to find every offending table and fix it.
JavaScript UDFs in dbt BigQuery: The Slot Cost You're Missing
JavaScript UDFs in dbt BigQuery silently consume disproportionate slot resources and block query cache hits. Here is how to find them, audit their cost, and fix them before they wreck your bill.
BigQuery Logical vs Physical Storage in dbt: The Silent Bill
Your dbt project may be silently overpaying for BigQuery storage. Here is how to find the datasets where switching billing models saves real money.
dbt Cross-Dataset Joins in BigQuery: Fix the Silent Scan
When dbt models join across BigQuery datasets, partition pruning silently breaks — and your bill triples. Here's how to find and fix it.
dbt Query Labels in BigQuery: Fix Your Cost Attribution (2026)
Your BigQuery bill spiked and you have no idea which dbt model caused it. Here is how to fix that with dbt query labels — and the diagnostic SQL to prove it.
Non-Deterministic Functions in dbt BigQuery: Why Your Cache Never Hits
Non-deterministic SQL functions silently bust BigQuery's query cache across your entire dbt DAG. Here is how to find every offending model and fix it fast.
BigQuery Table Expiration Breaking dbt Models: Find & Fix It
BigQuery table expiration silently deletes tables your dbt models depend on — often with no alerting. Here is how to find and fix it before production breaks.
Nested JSON in dbt BigQuery Staging: Fix the Anti-Pattern
Parsing nested JSON incorrectly in dbt BigQuery staging models is one of the most common — and most expensive — anti-patterns in modern analytics stacks. Here is how to find and fix it.
dbt Wildcard Tables in BigQuery Without _TABLE_SUFFIX Filter: The Silent Cost
dbt models querying BigQuery wildcard tables without a _TABLE_SUFFIX filter scan every shard, every run — silently inflating your bill. Here is how to find them and fix them.
dbt Incremental Subquery Filter in BigQuery: Full Scan Every Run
Your dbt incremental model has a WHERE clause, but BigQuery is still scanning the entire table on every run. Here's how to detect it and fix it for good.
dbt Source Fan-Out in BigQuery: The DAG Anti-Pattern Costing You
dbt source fan-out silently duplicates BigQuery scans, breaks lineage, and strips your pipeline of test coverage. Here is how to find and fix it.
dbt Script Models & Temp Tables in BigQuery: The Hidden Cost
dbt script models using CREATE TEMP TABLE in BigQuery silently break lineage and inflate warehouse costs. Here is how to find and fix them.
dbt Intermediate Models in BigQuery: The Materialisation Mistake Costing You
The wrong materialisation on dbt intermediate models can silently triple your BigQuery bill. Here's how to detect it and fix it before it compounds.
dbt Models Scanning the Same BigQuery Table Twice: Find & Fix It
When a dbt model references the same BigQuery source table more than once, BigQuery may scan it multiple times per run — silently inflating your bill with every pipeline execution.
BigQuery Shuffle Joins in dbt: Fix the Hidden Cost in 2026
Shuffle joins in BigQuery dbt models are one of the most costly and least visible performance problems a data team can have. Here is how to find and fix them.
dbt MERGE Strategy in BigQuery: Why It's Scanning Your Whole Table
dbt incremental models using the merge strategy in BigQuery can silently scan your entire target table on every run. Here's how to detect it and fix it fast.
BigQuery INFORMATION_SCHEMA Cost Attribution: Stop the Guessing
Your BigQuery bill is growing but you can't pinpoint why. INFORMATION_SCHEMA has the answer — here's how to use it to attribute costs by user, model, and team before it's too late.
dbt Models Querying Partitioned BigQuery Tables Without Partition Filters
Your BigQuery tables are partitioned — but are your dbt models actually using those partitions? Here is how to find out and fix it before your bill does.
dbt Staging Layer Materialisation in BigQuery: Fix the Cost Leak
Choosing the wrong materialisation for dbt staging models is one of the most common — and most fixable — sources of runaway BigQuery costs. Here's the framework to get it right.
Repeated Subqueries in dbt BigQuery: Stop Paying Twice (2026)
Repeated subqueries in dbt BigQuery models silently scan the same large table multiple times per run — find them with INFORMATION_SCHEMA and fix them today.
BigQuery Query Cache Invalidation in dbt: Why Your Cache Never Hits
BigQuery offers free query result caching — but most dbt projects silently invalidate it on every run. Here's exactly why it breaks and how to fix it.
BigQuery CTEs Re-evaluated Every Time: The dbt Cost You're Missing
BigQuery silently re-evaluates CTEs every time they are referenced — a behaviour that can multiply query costs inside complex dbt models without a single warning.
dbt Ephemeral Models in BigQuery: The Hidden Cost Trap
dbt ephemeral models look efficient on paper but silently multiply BigQuery scan costs when referenced by multiple downstream models. Here is how to find and fix it.
BigQuery STRUCT & ARRAY Misuse in dbt: The Hidden Cost
Misusing STRUCT and ARRAY types in dbt BigQuery models silently inflates your bill and slows your pipelines. Here is how to find and fix it.
SELECT * in dbt BigQuery Models: The Silent Cost Multiplier
SELECT * in dbt BigQuery models is one of the quietest cost drivers in a growing data stack. Here's how to find every offending model and fix it.
BigQuery Window Functions Without PARTITION BY: The Silent Cost Killer
A missing PARTITION BY in a BigQuery window function can silently scan millions of rows it never needed — and you won't see it until the invoice arrives. Here's how to find and fix it.
dbt Full-Refresh Models in BigQuery: Stop the Silent Cost Bleed
dbt full-refresh models in BigQuery silently balloon your cloud bill as data grows. Here's how to find the offenders, understand the real cost, and migrate safely to incremental.
BigQuery Join Skew in dbt Models: Find & Fix It in 2026
BigQuery join skew silently inflates your bill and stalls dbt runs. Here is how to find it, fix it, and stop it coming back.
BigQuery Materialized Views With dbt: When to Use Them
BigQuery materialized views can slash query costs and dashboard load times — but only when paired with dbt correctly. Here is the decision framework practitioners actually use.
BigQuery On-Demand vs Slot Reservations: Which to Choose
Choosing the wrong BigQuery pricing model can double your bill. Here's the decision framework — with real numbers — to get it right at your stage of growth.
dbt Models Materialised as Table in BigQuery: Fix the Cost Leak
Over-materialised dbt models are one of the most common causes of runaway BigQuery bills. Here is how to find them and fix them before they compound.
BigQuery Partitioning & Clustering Mistakes Killing Your Bill
Partitioned tables don't automatically mean cheaper queries. Discover the six silent mistakes that bypass partition pruning in BigQuery — and exactly how to fix them before your next bill arrives.
Orphaned dbt Models in BigQuery: Find & Drop Ghost Tables
When you delete or rename a dbt model, BigQuery keeps the table. Here's how to detect orphaned ghost tables and safely drop them before they mislead your team.
BigQuery Scheduled Query Costs: Find the Query Wrecking Your Bill
A single misconfigured scheduled query can scan hundreds of TB before anyone notices. Here is how to find it — and fix it — in under five minutes.
dbt UNNEST Without Filters in BigQuery: Fix the Row Explosion
dbt models that UNNEST repeated fields without a prior filter silently multiply row counts, inflate bytes billed, and corrupt downstream aggregations. Here is how to find and fix them.
Cloud Data Warehouse Cost Optimisation: A 2026 Guide
Cloud data warehouse bills spiralling out of control? This practical guide covers the strategies, tools, and decisions that help businesses cut costs without sacrificing performance.
dbt Incremental Models Strategy: When and How to Use Them
Full table rebuilds are silently draining your BigQuery budget. Here is the decision framework for getting dbt incremental models right — the first time.
Why Your dbt Models Are Running Slow — And How to Fix It
Slow dbt models are costing you more than just time — they inflate cloud bills and delay decisions. Here's how to diagnose and fix the real causes.