Edit the Destination Table Column Type when Copying Data to Lakehouse Table, Data Warehouse and SQL Data Stores
To improve the flexibility for copying data in Fabric Data Factory, we are excited to announce that now you can edit destination table column types when copying data!
Supported scenarios
This new feature allows you to edit the data type of the column for a new or auto-created destination table, if your data destination is one of the following data stores:
- Lakehouse Table
- Data Warehouse
SQL data stores:
- Azure SQL database
- Azure Synapse Analytics
- Azure SQL Database Managed Instance
- SQL server
How to edit the destination table column type
You can edit the destination data column through the Copy assistant or Copy activity in your data pipeline.
Column mapping with the Copy assistant
When you specify Lakehouse Table/Data Warehouse/SQL data stores as your destination and select Load to new table on Connect to data destination page, the column mapping automatically shows. You can edit the destination column type based on your scenario.
When copying data to a Lakehouse Table, for example, there may be a column called PersonID in the source that is an int type. You can now change it to a string type when mapping to destination column.
Note that editing the destination type is not currently supported when your source column is decimal type.
Let’s take a look at another example when copying data to Data Warehouse/SQL data stores. Here, we have an id column in our source that is an int type and we can change it to a float type when mapping to the destination column.
Column mapping with the Copy activity
In the data pipeline Copy activity, select the connection and configure the table in your source and destination.
Note that you should apply a new table/auto create table in destination.
Then, go to the Mapping tab and select Import schemas.
Specify your destination table column type. You can follow the same steps as the Copy assistant to map the columns.
For more information about Lakehouse destination column mapping, read https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/fabric/data-factory/connector-lakehouse-copy-activity#mapping
For more information about Data Warehouse/SQL data stores destination column mapping, read:
- Data Warehouse Mapping
- Azure SQL Database Mapping
- Azure Synapse Analytics Mapping
- Azure SQL Database Managed Instance Mapping
- SQL Server Mapping
Have any questions or feedback? Leave a comment below!
