DEA-C02 Data Movement Practice Question
A data engineer loads CSV files into a Snowflake table using COPY INTO from an internal stage. Some rows fail validation because a numeric column contains non-numeric text. The engineer wants the load to continue and capture the rejected rows for later analysis. Which approach should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is treating VALIDATION_MODE as a runtime error handler, when it actually performs a validation-only pass that does not load data.
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
✓
Set ON_ERROR = 'CONTINUE' and use the COPY statement's error output to query rejected rows
ON_ERROR = 'CONTINUE' is designed for tolerant loading: rows that fail conversion or validation are skipped, valid rows are inserted, and Snowflake retains error details that can be queried from the COPY result or load history. This allows the pipeline to proceed while preserving rejected rows for later inspection and remediation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Set ON_ERROR = 'CONTINUE' and configure VALIDATION_MODE = 'RETURN_ERRORS'
Why it's wrong here
VALIDATION_MODE is used to validate files without loading them; it only supports values such as RETURN_ERRORS and RETURN_n_ROWS when combined with a validation-only COPY. It cannot be used simultaneously with an actual load, so this combination would not load valid rows while capturing rejects. It is a pre-load diagnostic, not a runtime error handling strategy.
- ✗
Set ON_ERROR = 'ABORT_STATEMENT' and review the query history for the failed statement
Why it's wrong here
ABORT_STATEMENT stops the load at the first error and rolls back the statement, so no rows are loaded and no rejected-row detail is retained beyond the error message. It provides the least tolerance for bad data. This directly conflicts with the requirement to continue loading and preserve rejects.
- ✗
Set ON_ERROR = 'SKIP_FILE' and rely on the load history to identify which files were skipped
Why it's wrong here
ON_ERROR = 'SKIP_FILE' aborts the entire file when any row fails, so valid rows in that file are not loaded. While the load history shows the file was skipped, individual rejected rows are not captured for analysis. This approach discards usable data and does not meet the goal of continuing the load.
- ✓
Set ON_ERROR = 'CONTINUE' and use the COPY statement's error output to query rejected rows
Why this is correct
ON_ERROR = 'CONTINUE' allows the load to proceed past rows that fail validation, skipping them while loading valid rows. Snowflake records the rejected rows and their error details, which can be retrieved from the COPY command's result or from the load history. This matches the requirement to continue loading and capture rejects for analysis.
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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 DEA-C02 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 DEA-C02 exam.