When you trigger a schema refresh, Omni inspects your connected database to ensure its internal representation matches your actual warehouse structure — pulling in new tables, views, fields, renamed columns, and updated data types. If your connection is integrated with dbt, Omni also runs aDocumentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.omni.co/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
dbt list command to layer in metadata like descriptions, tags, and constraints on top of those structural changes. This eliminates the need to manually update the Omni model every time something changes in the layer below.
While these terms are often used interchangeably, they perform different functions in Omni:
| Feature | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Schema Refresh | Scans the physical database to identify new tables, views, or columns. | Data Warehouse (Snowflake, BigQuery, etc.) |
| dbt Sync | Runs a dbt list command to pull in logic like descriptions, tags, and model definitions. | dbt Project (.yml files) |
Schema refreshes and dbt in Omni
What metadata does Omni pull in from dbt?
What metadata does Omni pull in from dbt?
Beyond column names, Omni pulls in descriptions, dbt tags, and constraints. For example, dbt constraints automatically translate into primary key tags within Omni’s semantic layer.
What happens if a column is renamed in dbt?
What happens if a column is renamed in dbt?
Upon refresh, Omni pulls in the new name automatically. The updated field will be available in your topics, but existing workbook references to the old name will break.Use the Content Validator to find and bulk-replace broken references across your workbooks. You can open a branch to make these fixes safely, then merge once everything is working as expected — rather than making changes live.
Will a schema refresh overwrite manual changes to Omni view files?
Will a schema refresh overwrite manual changes to Omni view files?
No. Omni uses an additive method for modifying files. If you programmatically update a
view.yaml with parameters like ai_context or synonyms, those parameters persist through a refresh.How can dbt metadata help with Omni's AI?
How can dbt metadata help with Omni's AI?
Omni pulls dbt metadata into its semantic layer in ways that directly improve AI accuracy. Integrated descriptions are used for AI context, and dbt accepted value tests are pulled in as
sample_values on a dimension — both of which help blobby generate more accurate queries and save time for end users.Refreshing schemas in Omni
You should refresh your schema whenever you build a new dbt model or alter an existing one to ensure Omni reflects your source of truth. The steps to trigger a refresh are the same whether or not you’re using dbt — see Schema refreshes for instructions.Schema refresh using automation and CI/CD
To ensure Omni is always in-sync with your production builds, you can move beyond manual refreshes using automation.Scheduled refreshes
In a connection’s settings, you can define a cron schedule to automatically trigger refreshes (e.g., every hour or once a day). See Scheduling refreshes for more information.Triggering through the API (CI/CD)
The most robust approach is to trigger a refresh through the Omni API as the final step of your orchestration workflow. By default, a schema refresh triggers a direct commit to your integrated Git branch to keep your model files in sync with the database.- GitHub Actions - You can add a few lines of YAML to your GitHub Action to call the Omni API immediately after a successful
dbt run. - Cache control - You can define cache policies (e.g., 24 hours) and use the API to reset the cache specifically when your warehouse jobs complete.
Troubleshooting
If you notice a discrepancy between your warehouse and Omni, check these areas:- dbt Health menu - In the model IDE, click Health in the footer to see mapping errors between dbt and your warehouse.
- Model version history - Click the icon in the model IDE to see a chronological list of what changed and who triggered the refresh. See Viewing and restoring model versions in the model IDE for more information.