AnalyticsCreator Adds DuckDB for File-Based SQL Exploration

Excel remains the world’s most widely used analysis tool—but its flexibility often creates challenges for standardisation, validation, and transformation, especially when handling diverse formats and large datasets.
These issues complicate data pipelines, slow down exploration, and make it harder to build reliable models. Traditional solutions require loading data into external systems before analysis, adding unnecessary friction and delaying insights.
Introducing Native DuckDB Integration
We’re thrilled to announce that AnalyticsCreator now includes native support for DuckDB—a high-performance, in-process SQL OLAP engine purpose-built for analytical workloads.
What This Enables
- Query Raw Files Instantly - Run SQL directly on Excel, Parquet, CSV, JSON, Arrow, SQLite, and more—no loading into external databases required.
- Profile Data Before Loading - Use built-in functions like SUMMARIZE to generate descriptive statistics, explore structures, and catch issues before transformation begins.
- In-Process Execution - DuckDB runs entirely within AnalyticsCreator via ODBC—no separate server, no cloud dependency, and no setup overhead.
- Work Seamlessly Across Formats - Design and test models using various file types in a unified, SQL-based environment.
- Transform Excel into a Database - Convert Excel files into DuckDB databases or Parquet format for efficient querying and downstream use.
Why this matters:
With DuckDB support, AnalyticsCreator gives you a powerful alternative to access, analyse, and integrate data—whether from your local environment or directly from files stored in S3 buckets. There’s no need to install multiple connectors or rely on heavy infrastructure. Instead, you can consolidate raw files into a reliable, portable analytical database that fits seamlessly into your workflow.
Whether you're validating business logic, prototyping transformations, or preparing files for production, DuckDB enables fast, embedded analytics with full SQL power—without leaving AnalyticsCreator.
What is DuckDB, and why is it supported in AnalyticsCreator?
DuckDB is an in-process SQL OLAP database engine optimized for analytical workloads. It allows users to run complex SQL queries directly on local files without requiring a separate database server. AnalyticsCreator supports DuckDB to enable fast, flexible, and serverless data exploration and modeling directly within the design environment.
Which file formats can I query using DuckDB in AnalyticsCreator?
You can query a wide range of file formats, including:
- Excel (.xlsx)
- Parquet
- CSV and TXT
- JSON
- Arrow
- SQLite
- MySQL
This allows you to work with diverse data sources without needing to pre-load them into a traditional database.
Do I need to install or configure DuckDB separately?
You will need a DuckDB ODBC. You can get here. No configuration to AnalayticsCreator is required.
Can I transform Excel files into a database or other formats using DuckDB?
Yes. With DuckDB support, you can convert Excel files into a DuckDB database or export them as Parquet files. This enables efficient storage, faster querying, and seamless integration into downstream data workflows.