# Where to Save Models That are Used One-time Efforts/Ad Hoc Analysis?

**URL:** <https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/where-to-save-models-that-are-used-one-time-efforts-ad-hoc-analysis/6350>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [January 26, 2023, 1:18am UTC](https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/where-to-save-models-that-are-used-one-time-efforts-ad-hoc-analysis/6350 "2023-01-26T01:18:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![phillip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@phillip](https://discourse.getdbt.com/u/phillip)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 1:18am UTC](https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/where-to-save-models-that-are-used-one-time-efforts-ad-hoc-analysis/6350/1 "2023-01-26T01:18:20Z")

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## The problem I’m having

Looking for suggestions on where to push and save dbt models used for one-time, ad hoc analysis.

## The context of why I’m trying to do this

Using dbt Cloud and Snowflake.

I had to perform a backfill on a database table. To validate, I created a model that executes against a backup of the table before the backfill. I created a second model that executes against the database table after the backfill.

When done, I have two tables that I was able to join and look for errors in the backfill. I used my dbt development schema for my user for the validation.

Now, I have these two dbt models, and related changes to the relevant `.yml` files in a feature branch.

These models will not run in production. It was a one-time effort.

I don’t want to lose the work. Yet, I don’t want to put them in the `models` directory with production models.

## What I’ve already tried

I thought about putting them in the `analysis` folder. There are changes to the `.yml` files in my branch. It’d be ok if I lose the content in the `.yml` files. I could replace the entries in the `.yml` files if needed. There is the issue of having non-production models and artifacts in a repo where the production models are saved.

I also also looked at committing to a repo that is used for ad hoc work. There is not file history in the repo. I’d probably copy-n-paste the models in `.sql` files in the repo used for ad hoc work, and commit them.

I also thought about leaving the models and related changes in a branch in the production repo, unmerged. Let it sit there in the repo until it’s obsolete or until it reaches the stale date in a README file in the branch.

## Screen Capture ‘analysis’ Directory

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/getdbt/original/2X/3/34d3cbf75a2a632a11eb2e9f2e5e4d3ce9f32394.png)

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**Author:** ![a\_slack\_user](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discourse.getdbt.com/a_slack_user/32/1629_2.png) [@a\_slack\_user](https://discourse.getdbt.com/u/a_slack_user)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2023, 4:39am UTC](https://discourse.getdbt.com/t/where-to-save-models-that-are-used-one-time-efforts-ad-hoc-analysis/6350/2 "2023-01-26T04:39:32Z")

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Note: `@dave` originally [posted this reply in Slack](https://getdbt.slack.com/archives/CBSQTAPLG/p1674707964791859?thread_ts=1674695926.643589&cid=CBSQTAPLG). It might not have transferred perfectly.