ARA-C01 Data Engineering Practice Question
A data engineer is loading data into a Snowflake table using the COPY INTO command. The source files are in an external stage and have a consistent schema. The engineer wants to ensure that any errors during loading do not cause the entire load to fail, but rather log the errors for later review. Which COPY INTO option should the engineer use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse error handling with validation; VALIDATION_MODE only checks files without loading, while ON_ERROR controls behavior during actual loading.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
ON_ERROR = 'CONTINUE'
The ON_ERROR = 'CONTINUE' option allows COPY INTO to skip erroneous rows and continue loading the remaining rows. Errors are logged in the load metadata, which can be queried using the VALIDATE function or by checking the COPY_HISTORY. This ensures that the load does not fail entirely while still capturing error details for later review. Other options either abort the load, skip entire files, or only validate without loading.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
ON_ERROR = 'SKIP_FILE'
Why it's wrong here
ON_ERROR = 'SKIP_FILE' skips the entire file if any error occurs. This means valid rows in that file are also skipped, which may not be desired. It does not load the valid rows from a file with some errors. The requirement is to not fail the entire load, but skipping the whole file still results in data loss for that file.
- ✗
VALIDATION_MODE = 'RETURN_ERRORS'
Why it's wrong here
VALIDATION_MODE = 'RETURN_ERRORS' is used to validate files without loading data. It returns errors but does not actually load any data. This is useful for testing but does not fulfill the requirement of loading data while skipping errors. It would not load the valid rows.
- ✗
ON_ERROR = 'ABORT_STATEMENT'
Why it's wrong here
ABORT_STATEMENT causes the entire COPY INTO statement to abort if any error occurs. This is the default behavior and would fail the load on the first error, which is contrary to the requirement of not failing the entire load. It does not provide a way to log errors and continue.
- ✓
ON_ERROR = 'CONTINUE'
Why this is correct
The ON_ERROR = 'CONTINUE' option instructs COPY INTO to skip any rows that cause errors and continue loading the rest of the file. Error details are logged in the load metadata, allowing later review. This meets the requirement of not failing the entire load due to individual row errors, while still capturing error information for analysis.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Snowflake exam blueprint
This ARA-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Snowflake certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the ARA-C01 exam.