---
title: "Data Sources Overview"
slug: "overview-sources"
description: "Learn how to manage your data source in Dataddo. Learn how to troubleshoot errors and issues, configure database as a source, manually load data and more."
tags: ["Reference", "Data source"]
updated: 2026-04-15T11:36:39Z
published: 2026-04-15T11:36:39Z
canonical: "docs.dataddo.com/overview-sources"
---

> ## 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.

# Data Sources Overview

A ***data source*** represents an authorized connection to any third-party service from where data is extracted. Through a **{{glossary.data flow}}**, you send data from your ***data source*** to a ***{{glossary.data destination}}*** on a regular basis, based on the schedule you configured during the ***data source*** setup.

You can create a ***data source*** by connecting to a variety of services including:
* SaaS apps (e.g. [Salesforce](/docs/salesforce){target="_blank"}, [NetSuite](/docs/netsuite){target="_blank"}, [HubSpot](/docs/hubspot){target="_blank"}, [Stripe](/docs/stripe){target="_blank"}, [Klaviyo](/docs/klaviyo){target="_blank"}, [Facebook Ads](/docs/facebook-ads){target="_blank"}, [Google Analytics 4](/docs/google-analytics-4){target="_blank"})
* Databases (e.g. [MySQL](/docs/mysql), Postgres, [SQL Server](/docs/universal-sql-server-source){target="_blank"})
* Cloud data warehouses (e.g. BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, Snowflake)
* File storages (e.g. [Amazon S3](/docs/s3-as-a-source){target="_blank"}, SFTP)

{{snippet.AllConnectorsCallout}}

## Creating a Data Source
Starting a ***data source*** begins with choosing a {{glossary.connector}} that shapes the initial setup.

Dataddo provides three kinds of connectors, catering to various requirements:
* **Universal connectors**: These allow highly customizable, low-level interactions with various systems. Examples include [JSON](/docs/json-universal-connector){target="_blank"}, [XML](/docs/xml-universal-connector){target="_blank"}, [CSV](/docs/csv-universal-connector){target="_blank"}, and database options like [MySQL](/docs/mysql){target="_blank"} and Postgres.
* **Fixed-schema connectors**: These offer pre-defined schemas (datasets) making them easy to set up but they are also are less flexible. Examples include [Mailchimp](/docs/mailchimp){target="_blank"}, [ExactOnline](/docs/exact-online){target="_blank"}, and [Google Search Console](/docs/google-search-console){target="_blank"}.
* **Custom-schema connectors**: These allow dynamic schema definitions tailored to services with custom attributes. Examples include [Hubspot](/docs/hubspot){target="_blank"}, [Google Analytics 4](/docs/google-analytics-4){target="_blank"}, [Salesforce](/docs/salesforce){target="_blank"}, and [Facebook Ads](/docs/facebook-ads){target="_blank"}.

For more details, check out [our article on types of connectors](/docs/connectors){target="_blank"}.

:::(Warning) (Ready to get started? [Create your first data source now](/docs/creating-a-data-source){target="_blank"}!)
:::

## Source Detail
On the [**Sources**](https://app.dataddo.com/sources){target="_blank"} page, click on your ***data source*** to see your **Source Details**.

On the **Basic Info** tab:
* Change your ***data source*** name and add a description for internal purposes
* Find your source ID for [error reporting purposes](/docs/error-reporting){target="_blank"}
* Enable the **Allow Empty** option if you are expecting days without data (for more information, see [No Data Retrieved Error Message](/docs/extraction-logs#no-data-retrieved){target="_blank"})
    ![Allow Empty](https://cdn.document360.io/084ed225-3f99-4644-a2da-39ca0cd5ef45/Images/Documentation/Source%20Action%20-%20Allow%20Empty.png){height="" width=""}
* Lock the ***source*** to prevent it from modifications
    ![Lock Source](https://cdn.document360.io/084ed225-3f99-4644-a2da-39ca0cd5ef45/Images/Documentation/Source%20Action%20-%20Lock%20Source.png){height="" width=""}

On the **Schema** tab:
* [Edit your source schema](/docs/schema){target="_blank"} by changing {{glossary.data type}}s or data labels (= column names)

On the **Snapshotting** tab:
* [Configure extraction or snapshotting details](/docs/extraction){target="_blank"}

On the **Advanced Settings** tab:
* Edit ***data source*** URL for e.g. [setting date range](/docs/setting-date-range){target="_blank"} or [data backfilling](/docs/data-backfilling-to-storages){target="_blank"}

## Other Data Source Operations
### Duplicate/Clone a Data Source
**Duplicating or cloning** a ***data source*** is useful, for example when
* You need to change your ***data source* schema** but want to ensure data consistency and avoid unintended disruptions in downstream systems, like your data warehouse. 
* You need **versioning** for your ***data source***. By cloning the existing source, you can make modifications to its parameters without affecting the original setup. This allows you to maintain various versions of a source configuration to meet different needs.

Simply click on the **Clone Settings** button next to your ***source*** and proceed with the on-screen prompts. 

### Delete a Source
To delete a ***data source*** and its associated flows:
1. Go to the [**Sources**](https://app.dataddo.com/sources){target="_blank"} page.
2. Click the bin icon for the relevant ***data source***.
3. In the confirmation window, view the connected flows that will also be removed.
4. Type **DELETE** to confirm your decision.

## Broken Source Operations
### Restart a Source
If a ***data source*** enters a [**broken**](/docs/overview-sources#source-status) state, you can attempt to restart it. If successful, the ***source*** becomes live again, allowing manual data loading. If restarting fails, [troubleshooting options](/docs/troubleshooting){target="_blank"} will be available.


:::(Warning) (For more information, please see [how to fix a broken source](/docs/troubleshooting#how-to-fix-a-broken-source){target="_blank"}.)
:::

### Extraction Logs
To ensure a transparent view of the entire extraction process, each ***data source*** maintains logs of all extraction attempts. To access these logs:
1. Click on the three-dots icon next to the relevant ***data source*** and choose **Show Logs** (available for live ***sources*** as well).
2. Alternatively, click on the **Show Logs** icon directly.

For help with resolving issues, refer to the [troubleshooting guide](/docs/extraction-logs){target="_blank"}.

## Source Status
A ***data source*** will have one of the following statuses.

| Source Status (Color) | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **Live** (Green) | Indicates normal operation; data is being successfully extracted. |
| **Reconnecting** (Orange) | Shown after a failed extraction attempt; the system will try to reconnect and extract data up to three times before changing to **Broken**. |
| **Broken** (Red) | Signifies that all attempts to extract data have failed. Restarting is necessary to resume operations. Please see [how to fix a broken source](/docs/troubleshooting#how-to-fix-a-broken-source){target="_blank"}. |
| **Inactive** (Gray) | The source is not in use. Manually restart to return it to **Live** status. |

![Data source status.](https://cdn.document360.io/084ed225-3f99-4644-a2da-39ca0cd5ef45/Images/Documentation/Sources%20-%20In-App%20Status.png){height="" width=""}


## Related Articles
### Troubleshooting
[Error Reporting Best Practice](/docs/error-reporting)
[Troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting)
[Extraction Logs](/docs/extraction-logs)

### Other Resources
[Data Duplication](/docs/data-duplication){target="_blank"}
[Data Sampling](/docs/data-sampling){target="_blank"}