Build Trusted Data Models with dbt and FIRN
When data pipelines break, reports stop making sense and trust evaporates fast. dbt software helps fix that by giving data teams the structure and clarity they need to model data properly. With modular SQL, built-in testing, and documentation that actually keeps up, dbt transforms fragile pipelines into reliable assets.
As a certified dbt reseller and consultancy based here in New Zealand, FIRN helps businesses build better data models, faster. Whether you’re just starting with the dbt data build tool or scaling across teams, we bring technical expertise, proven experience and local support that fits your setup.
Why Choose dbt?
dbt helps teams stop fighting their data pipelines and start trusting them. Built around SQL and version control, it runs directly in your cloud data warehouse, so your transformations happen right where the data lives.
With dbt Cloud, you can schedule workflows, automate testing, document lineage, and manage changes without turning analytics into a guessing game. No black-box logic. No custom code rabbit holes. Just clean, modular models that anyone on your team can understand and maintain.
Teams love dbt because it brings structure without getting in the way. You define your logic once and reuse it across the business. Tests run early, documentation stays current, and Git keeps everything collaborative and versioned. It’s the foundation modern data teams need to keep things consistent and fully accountable.
If this sounds like a fit for your team, let’s chat. We’ll help you get started with dbt in a way that makes sense for your data, your people, and your goals.
dbt Capabilities
Find everything your data team needs to model, test, schedule and scale transformation with less code and a lot more clarity.
SQL-based Transformation at Scale
With dbt software, transformation happens in SQL, not in some proprietary language or behind a curtain of scripts. You write modular models using your existing skills, and extend them with macros, templating and Jinja logic to avoid repetition and keep things maintainable. Whether you’re transforming raw source tables or producing polished data for visualisation tools, dbt gives you full control with less technical overhead. The result is clean, scalable pipelines that are easy to read, share and trust.
Semantic Layer and Metrics
With dbt’s semantic layer, you can define business metrics centrally and use them consistently across reports, tools and teams. Instead of rewriting logic in every dashboard, everyone works from the same definitions. That means faster alignment, fewer reporting debates and a more reliable foundation for decision-making. For businesses serious about analytics, semantic modelling is the next step in making dbt for data transformation truly effective.
Testing, Documentation and CI/CD
Testing isn’t an afterthought with dbt, it’s part of the workflow. Built-in schema and relationship tests help you catch errors early, while custom assertions let you lock down logic before it causes problems. Documentation is auto-generated and stays up to date without a second thought. With column-level lineage and visual exploration in dbt Explorer, anyone can trace how data flows through your models. Combined with Git-based version control and continuous integration, your pipelines become something you can actually depend on.
Scalable Collaboration
Collaboration doesn’t have to come at the cost of control. dbt Canvas makes it easier for analysts to build, visualise and share models without friction. Copilot adds GenAI-powered assistance to help with SQL and documentation, reducing repetitive work and improving
quality. Whether you’re a data engineer setting up CI or a business analyst refining a model, dbt gives everyone the tools to contribute without compromising structure or governance. The result is faster builds, fewer errors and a team that actually works together.
dbt Cloud and Orchestration
dbt Cloud gives you everything you need to orchestrate transformation at scale. Schedule jobs, manage environments and view job logs, all from a clean, intuitive interface. Role-based access keeps things secure, while Git integration keeps development aligned. Whether your team is running a few models a day or dozens an hour, dbt Cloud provides the tooling to run jobs reliably, monitor them with confidence and get alerted when something goes off-track. It’s orchestration that feels like it was designed for analysts, not borrowed from engineering.
How FIRN Supports Your dbt Integration
Certified dbt Expertise, Locally Delivered: We’re proud to be dbt’s first New Zealand-based preferred consulting partner. Our certified team knows the platform inside out and delivers hands-on, locally relevant support that makes implementation smoother and outcomes faster.
End-to-End Engineering and Governance: From warehouse integration and testing pipelines to metadata, access and version control, we help you build a dbt foundation that’s robust, scalable and ready for governance from day one.
Analyst Enablement: We empower analysts with prebuilt templates, documentation best practices and dbt Canvas training. That means more autonomy for business users and fewer bottlenecks for your technical teams.
A Trusted Partner Across Sectors: From financial services to SaaS, logistics to government, we’ve helped a wide range of organisations make dbt work in the real world. Our approach flexes to suit your goals, data maturity and team structure.
Build with Confidence. Scale with Clarity.
Good models should be easy to understand, quick to test, and built to last. That’s what dbt delivers, and what FIRN helps you achieve. We bring the technical know-how, practical experience and local support to get it done properly.
If you’re ready to move from scattered SQL to something more structured, let’s have a conversation.