What is ETL?
ETL stands for Extract, Transform, Load and is the basis of data migrations and reporting. Below you can read what each step does and when you use it.
ETL stands for Extract, Transform, Load: pulling data from a source, converting it to the right format and loading it into a target system. It is the basis of data migrations and data warehouses, where data from several systems is brought together for reporting and analysis.
The three steps
ETL consists of three steps. In Extract we pull data from one or more sources, such as an ERP, webshop or database. In Transform we convert that data: cleaning, deduplicating, linking and casting it into the right format. In Load we load the result into a target system.
The goal is for data from different systems to come together usefully in one place, reliably and repeatably. ETL often runs as a scheduled task, for example every night.
What do you use ETL for?
ETL is indispensable for data migrations (from an old to a new system) and for data warehouses and BI reporting, where figures from several sources come together. Where it is about real-time connecting, we more often choose APIs and webhooks.
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