Macros

An Ascend Macro is a reusable SQL logic block that lets you implement functionality once and use it across multiple Components. Macros use Jinja2 template syntax and are defined in .sql files within a macros/ directory in your Project root.

Why use Macros

• Consistency: Apply the same logic across Components without copy-pasting
• Maintainability: Update logic in one place, changes propagate everywhere
• Readability: Abstract complex SQL into named, parameterized functions

How Macros work

Define a macro once:

macros/utils.sql

{% macro standardize(col_name) %}
    LOWER(TRIM({{ col_name }}))
{% endmacro %}

Import and use it in any SQL Transform:

{% from 'macros/utils.sql' import standardize %}

SELECT
    id,
    {{ standardize('name') }} AS clean_name
FROM {{ ref('my_table') }}

Next steps

• Build SQL Macros - Step-by-step guide