---
title: "How To Create a Data Source"
slug: "creating-a-data-source"
description: "Learn how to connect to and extract data from various data sources using Dataddo. Easily configure data extraction frequency and adjust attributes as needed."
tags: ["Tutorial", "Quickstart", "Data source"]
updated: 2025-09-04T17:12:18Z
published: 2025-09-04T17:12:18Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dataddo.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Create a Data Source

In the first step of our quickstart tutorial, we will guide you through creating a ***data source***, which defines where you extract your data from and what kind of data it is.

## Prerequisites

Make sure your account (e.g. Facebook account or GA4 account) has permissions to access and extract your data. Usually, at least **admin-level permissions** are required.

## Configure Your Data Source

### 1. Start Source Creation

On your [Dataddo dashboard](https://app.dataddo.com/), click on the [**Source Create**](https://app.dataddo.com/sources/new) link under **Quick Actions**. Select the service from which you want to extract your data.

![Create a source.](https://cdn.document360.io/084ed225-3f99-4644-a2da-39ca0cd5ef45/Images/Documentation/Source%201%20-%20Create%20a%20source.png)

### 2. Select Your Account

In this step, select which account (e.g. Facebook Ads account) you want to extract data from. However, this depends on the connector type:

| Custom-Schema Connector | Fixed-Schema Connectors |
| --- | --- |
| First, click on **Add New Account** at the bottom of the drop-down and authorize the connection of your service to Dataddo. Custom-schema connectors allow complete freedom when composing your ***data source*** metrics and attributes (e.g. [Google Ads](/docs/google-ads), [Facebook Ads](/docs/facebook-ads)), which we will select in the next step. | First, select a dataset (e.g. [Stripe](/docs/stripe), [Gusto](/docs/gusto)), which is a pre-selected set of attributes. If you are not sure which dataset you need but know the metrics and attributes, use the **Search by Name or Attribute** function. Then, in the next step, click on **Add New Account** at the bottom of the drop-down and authorize the connection of your service to Dataddo. |

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When you add a new account, you also create a new ***authorizer***. You can always [add more authorizers](/docs/authorized-services) or accounts later.

## Select Metrics, Dimensions, or Attributes

Next, let's select metrics, dimensions, or attributes to specify **what** data you want to extract. In short, you are **defining the actual data model** of the source and choosing what columns will be included in the ***data source***.

![Select metrics and attributes.](https://cdn.document360.io/084ed225-3f99-4644-a2da-39ca0cd5ef45/Images/Documentation/Source%202%20-%20Flexible-schema%20connector.png)

## Select Metadata in Advance Settings

In this step, you can select what **metadata** you want to include. Dataddo allows the addition of the following fields to your data:

| Metadata Field | Description | Use |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Property ID** | The unique identifier of the data property (such as an account, property, or data stream) from the original platform, like Google Analytics or Meta Ads. | - Helps you trace each record back to its original source. - Crucial when you're working with multiple properties/accounts in the same dataset. - Makes filtering and segmentation by source easier in dashboards and reports. |
| **Dataddo Insert Date** | The timestamp of when a particular record was ingested into the Dataddo system and written to your destination (like a data warehouse or BI tool). | - Useful for troubleshooting and data freshness monitoring. - Enables time-based comparisons between ingestion and source data. - Can help detect issues like missing or delayed data syncs. |
| **Dataddo Hash** | A unique value (like a fingerprint) generated from the values in each row. It’s typically a hash of key fields (like campaign ID, date, metric values, etc.). | - Helps identify duplicate records. - Essential for change data capture (CDC) logic as it detects if a record has changed since the last sync. - Enables more efficient data deduplication and comparison operations in downstream systems. |

![Select metadata.](https://cdn.document360.io/084ed225-3f99-4644-a2da-39ca0cd5ef45/Images/Documentation/Source%203%20-%20Select%20metadata.png)

## Finish Source Setup

### 1. Schedule the Snapshotting

Select the frequency of your [snapshotting](/docs/extraction). Snapshots determine how often your data should be extracted. Recommended default is **daily** snapshotting to make sure you have up-to-date data.

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Click on the **Show Advanced Settings** button to expand additional options. Here, you can:

- Configure a custom date range
- Select the exact time (hour and minute) for the extraction

### 2. Allow Empty Data Extractions

When your source connector attempts to extract data but finds no available rows (e.g., due to filters, date range, or the source being temporarily empty), Dataddo handles the situation based on the `Allow Empty` setting:

- **`Allow Empty` is enabled (default behavior)**: The source will not break. Instead, Dataddo will complete the run and simply extract zero rows. This is useful for workflows where temporary absence of data is expected (e.g., daily reports with no activity).
- **`Allow Empty` is disabled**: The source will break and return an error. This is useful for alerting you when data is unexpectedly missing.

### 3. Test Data and Save

Finally, click on the **Test Data** button to preview and confirm your data and **Save** your configuration.

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Testing your data is a great way to explore your data, especially when you're unsure what certain attributes represent. Since the table is populated with live data, it's easy to see real values and better understand each field before setting up your source.

Well done, your new ***data source*** is ready!

---

## Next Steps

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To extract and load historical data, see [our articles on data backfilling](https://docs.dataddo.com/docs/data-backfilling).

          
          

- [Connect a Data Destination](/docs/how-to-connect-a-data-destination)
- [How to Create a Data Flow](/docs/how-to-create-a-data-flow)

A source is a collection of data from an authorized service that's been connected via a Dataddo connector. Data within the source is automatically refreshed based on the source's configuration.

Authorizers act as credentials for external services (e.g. Facebook or Google). To enable Dataddo to access and retrieve your data, you need to grant access to accounts that possess admin-level permissions or higher within these services.