Integration · Data transformation
dbt + OrchestrAI
Catalog exported 2026-09-02 · dbt website
Run, test, build, and compile dbt models from chat, plus list dbt Cloud jobs and runs.
OrchestrAI exposes 12 dbt operations: 8 are low-risk (read-only or low-impact), and 4 create or modify resources and run only after you confirm the plan.
What teams use it for
Analytics engineers ask OrchestrAI to run a subset of dbt models, execute tests, check source freshness, and generate docs, all against the connected dbt project. For dbt Cloud accounts it can also list jobs and recent runs to see what the scheduler did overnight. Running, building, seeding, and snapshotting are medium risk and execute once requested, while compile, test, debug, and list are read-only. There is no operation to trigger a dbt Cloud job or edit models, so those actions stay in dbt Cloud or your editor.
Every dbt operation, with its risk level
| Operation | What it does | Risk | Step-level approval |
|---|---|---|---|
dbt Compile |
Compile dbt SQL without running | Low risk | No |
dbt Debug |
Debug dbt connection | Low risk | No |
dbt Docs Generate |
Generate dbt documentation | Low risk | No |
dbt List |
List dbt resources | Low risk | No |
dbt Source Freshness |
Check source freshness | Low risk | No |
dbt Test |
Run dbt tests | Low risk | No |
List dbt Cloud Jobs |
List jobs in the connected dbt Cloud account | Low risk | No |
List dbt Cloud Runs |
List recent runs in the connected dbt Cloud account | Low risk | No |
dbt Build |
Build dbt project (run + test) | Creates resources | No |
dbt Run |
Run dbt models | Creates resources | No |
dbt Seed |
Load seed data | Creates resources | No |
dbt Snapshot |
Run dbt snapshots | Creates resources | No |
Risk tiers come from the catalog: low is read-only or low-impact, medium creates resources and is reversible, high modifies existing resources, destructive may lose data. Every plan that creates or changes resources is shown with its cost estimate and waits for your confirmation. Operations marked with a step-level approval pause again on their own step. Destructive operations require a typed risk phrase.
What you connect
A dbt credential (stored as dbt, dbt_cloud).
Connected-service tokens are envelope-encrypted with a per-record key wrapped by a cloud KMS.
Prompts that work
- Run the dbt models tagged finance and then run their tests
- Check source freshness for the stripe and salesforce sources
- List the last ten dbt Cloud runs and show me which ones failed
Before anything runs
Every mutation shows its plan, cost estimate, and blast radius, then waits for your confirmation. Destructive operations require a typed risk phrase. Credentials are minted per run through OIDC federation and discarded afterward; nothing you create here is invisible later, because every resource lands in the desired-state ledger where drift is detected and can be converged. Details on the security page.
Frequently asked questions
- Can OrchestrAI trigger a dbt Cloud job?
- No. dbt Cloud coverage is limited to listing jobs and listing runs. Running models happens through the dbt CLI connection, not the Cloud scheduler.
- Is dbt test safe to run through OrchestrAI?
- Yes. dbt test, compile, debug, list, docs generate, and source freshness are all low-risk read operations that do not modify warehouse tables.
- How does OrchestrAI authenticate to dbt?
- You add a dbt credential once in the connections screen. It is envelope-encrypted with a per-record key wrapped by a cloud KMS and is only decrypted inside the run that needs it.
Related integrations
Cloud services this pairs with
Try it on your own account
Connect your cloud read-only and see your resources, drift, and costs before anything runs. $5 minimum to start. Unused credits refunded in your first 14 days.
Unused credits refunded in your first 14 days.