How to Use dbt Tests
Last updated July 25, 2026 · By the SaturnSQL team
Attach generic data tests to columns in a schema.yml file, then run dbt test. dbt ships four built-in tests: unique, not_null, accepted_values, and relationships. A test fails when its query returns any rows.
# models/schema.yml
models:
- name: fct_orders
columns:
- name: order_id
data_tests:
- unique
- not_null
- name: status
data_tests:
- accepted_values:
values: ['placed', 'shipped', 'returned']
- name: customer_id
data_tests:
- relationships:
to: ref('dim_customers')
field: customer_idRunning tests
dbt test
dbt test --select fct_ordersSince dbt 1.8 the YAML key is data_tests; the older tests: key still works. Packages like dbt-utils add many more generic tests on top of the built-in four.
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