No Tables Are Visible in the Schema Tab for a PostgreSQL Connection

Issue

No tables are visible in the connection Schema tab despite a successful connection test and initial sync.

Environment

Connector: PostgreSQL

Resolution

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Verify database user permissions:

   i. Check the Fivetran user's permissions:

   SET ROLE fivetran;
   

   ii. Grant USAGE on the schema to the user:

   GRANT USAGE ON SCHEMA public TO fivetran;
   

   iii. Grant SELECT on all tables to the user:

   GRANT SELECT ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public TO fivetran;
   

   iv. Set default privileges to grant SELECT on new tables:

   ALTER DEFAULT PRIVILEGES IN SCHEMA public GRANT SELECT ON TABLES TO fivetran;
   

2. Test with the Fivetran user's credentials and run a SELECT query against any table in the schema to confirm the user can read from the tables.

3. Re-run the connection setup tests:

   1. In Fivetran, go to your PostgreSQL connection page.
   2. Select the Settings tab.
   3. Click Edit connection.
   4. Click Save & Test.

For more information, see the relevant PostgreSQL connector setup guide.

Cause

This issue occurs when the Fivetran user is missing sufficient SELECT or USAGE permissions on one or more tables or schemas in PostgreSQL. Fivetran cannot list or load tables where it lacks access rights, so the Schema tab appears empty.