[Core] dbt-core Issue #10185 - new snapshot_meta_column_names config for dbt snapshots

[FishtownBuildBot]

At a minimum, update body to include a link to the page on docs.getdbt.com requiring updates and what part(s) of the page you would like to see updated. Originating from this issue: https://github.com/dbt-labs/dbt-core/issues/10185

[nataliefiann]

Querying here: https://dbt-labs.slack.com/archives/C044WU55X7Y/p1727180386575019

[graciegoheen]

We should:

• add a page for the new snapshot config snapshot_meta_column_names which can be used to customize the names of the snapshot meta-fields created by dbt internally to satisfy my org’s naming conventions
• add a callout to our section about these meta fields that you can customize the names using this new config

Note:

• we aren't doing anything for migration, so if a user renames the columns for a snapshot without updating an existing table, they will get an error. The recommendation is to use these settings for new snapshots, or to arrange to update their existing tables prior to committing a column name change.

Here's an example of the new config:

{{
    config(
      target_database='analytics',
      target_schema='snapshots',
      unique_key='id',

      strategy='timestamp',
      updated_at='updated_at',

      snapshot_meta_column_names={
        dbt_valid_from: start_date,
        dbt_valid_to: end_date,
        dbt_scd_id: scd_id,
        dbt_updated_at: updated_date
      }
    )
}}

You can also set this in your dbt_project.yml like:

snapshots:
  my_project:
    +snapshot_meta_column_names={
      dbt_valid_from: start_date,
      dbt_valid_to: end_date,
      dbt_scd_id: scd_id,
      dbt_updated_at: updated_date
    }

[graciegoheen]

Hi @nataliefiann I see this is "in review", but I don't see a PR linked. Lemme know when you're ready for me to take a look!