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Query Streams SQL Filters and Parameters Overview

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SQL PARAMETERS AUTO-DETECTION LIVE DATA

Turn Static SQL Into
Dynamic Reports

Query Streams automatically detects hard-coded values in your SQL and transforms them into user-friendly filter inputs for Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets – no coding required.

8Filter Types
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Query Streams automatically detects hard-coded values in your SQL and transforms them into user-friendly inputs—so anyone can run customized reports directly from Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets without touching the SQL or seeing credentials. Learn more at QueryStreams.com and sign up for free to start building dynamic, self-service reports.

The Problem with Traditional Reporting

Every organization has this problem: analysts write SQL queries with hard-coded values like customer IDs, date ranges, or status codes. When someone needs a different customer or date range, they either wait for the analyst to modify the query, or worse, they get database access they shouldn’t have. Meanwhile, scheduled reports pile up in inboxes—stale before they’re even opened.

Query Streams solves this by detecting those hard-coded values and turning them into parameters that end users can adjust themselves—safely, from Excel or Google Sheets, without ever seeing the underlying SQL.

Why Query Streams Is Different

Auto‑parameters, not scripts

Query Streams auto‑detects hard‑coded values in SQL and turns them into friendly inputs in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. You share the ability to run the query—not the SQL.
On‑demand, live No macros/scripts Parallel queries

The Agent advantage

Our lightweight Query Streams Agent makes a secure, outbound‑only connection—no inbound firewall rules, VPN, gateways, or drivers. Deploy multiple Agents across on‑prem and cloud; they self‑update and present a unified datasource list in the builder.
Outbound‑only No drivers/gateways Multi‑agent, multi‑region

Query Streams

  • Auto‑detected filters become input controls in Excel/Sheets
  • Share interactive capability without exposing SQL
  • Outbound‑only Agent; no VPN, no inbound rules, no drivers
  • Parallel streaming to multiple sheets/tabs
  • Unified datasources across multiple Agents

Traditional tools

  • Manual scripting/macros or rigid connectors
  • Static exports or scheduled refresh only
  • Gateways, ODBC drivers, VPN and inbound rules
  • Credentials shared; SQL often exposed
  • One‑off setups; version drift
Get started free Install the Agent Prefer to read first? See how we share live data, not credentials.

How Query Streams Filters Work

1

Write your SQL normally

WHERE customer_po = 'PO-12345'
  AND sale_date BETWEEN '2025-01-01' AND '2025-06-30'
  AND status IN ('ACTIVE', 'PENDING')

Open the Query Streams Query Builder and tie this query to a datasource registered on a Query Streams Agent (e.g., Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite, Microsoft Access). Agents create a secure, outbound connection—no inbound firewall rules or VPN. If you haven’t installed an Agent yet, see Installing the Query Streams Agent on Windows.

We’ll save this query as “Pull customer PO data” so it appears by name in the Excel/Sheets add‑on.

2

Query Streams detects filters automatically

‘PO-12345’ → Customer PO input Date range → Start/End pickers Status list → Multi-select dropdown

Detection is step one. In the Properties tab you choose which detections become inputs and set defaults. You can leave some values locked (not exposed) and make others configurable for end users.

3

Share the query

This is the Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets add‑on interface. In Step 1 you created and named the query “Pull customer PO data”. After you share it, the remote user opens the add‑on, chooses Shared Queries, and selects that item.

Next: in the Filtering Conditions section, click the gear icon to configure parameters. That opens the parameter UI shown in Step 4.

Shared Queries

Access queries shared with you
Select up to (5) queries to stream
Pull customer PO data
Datasource: SQL Server • Parameters
Only showing online datasources
Query Destinations
Filtering Conditions
Pull customer PO data
4

What users see in Excel/Sheets

to

Tip: This panel is interactive. Change any input and watch Step 5 update the SQL preview in real time. Then scroll to Step 6 to see a simulated stream of rows into the workbook.

5

Selections become SQL—live

WHERE customer_po = 'PO-12345'
  AND sale_date BETWEEN '2025-01-01' AND '2025-06-30'
  AND status IN ('ACTIVE', 'PENDING')

What happens when you click Run

  1. The add‑in sends your inputs to the Query Streams Agent.
  2. The Agent safely executes the saved SQL against the selected datasource with those parameters.
  3. Results are streamed back out to Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets and written into the target sheet.

Connections are outbound‑only; SQL text and credentials remain hidden. For large results, the Agent streams efficiently and supports running multiple queries in parallel into separate tabs.

6

Data streams into your workbook

Consol
Part
Description
Origin
Qty
Price
Cases
Simulated stream: rows appear as the Agent writes them into the destination sheet.

SQL Examples for Each Filter Type

Here’s how different values look in your raw SQL. Query Streams detects these patterns and maps them to the right user input in Excel or Google Sheets.

String Filter

WHERE customer_id = 'CUST-A123'

Number Filter

WHERE quantity > 500

String List (IN Clause)

WHERE status IN ('SHIPPED', 'DELIVERED')

Date Filter

WHERE order_date = '2025-07-15'

Date Range (BETWEEN)

WHERE ship_date BETWEEN '2025-01-01' AND '2025-03-31'

Numeric Range (BETWEEN)

WHERE price BETWEEN 10.99 AND 49.99

Named SQL Variable

WHERE sale_date >= @StartDate

Boolean / Flag

WHERE is_active = 1

Real-World Use Cases

ERP & Finance Teams

Replace static reports with live filters. Let finance users run P&L by cost center, compare YTD vs MTD, or filter by GL account—all from Excel without waiting for month-end reports.

Example: Lock the cost center, but configure a date range for on-demand period comparisons. 
WHERE cost_center = 'OPS-100'
AND txn_date BETWEEN '2025-01-01' AND '2025-03-31'
Locked: cost_center (set by owner/share rules)Configurable: txn_date range in Properties

Supply Chain & Logistics

Give partners self-service access without compromising security. Share live inventory or shipment queries that suppliers can filter by their own vendor code.

Example: Lock the partner’s vendor ID; configure a date range so they can pull invoices for any period. 
WHERE vendor_id = 'V123'
AND invoice_date BETWEEN '2025-01-01' AND '2025-03-31'
Locked: vendor_id (not exposed as input)Configurable: invoice_date range

Sales & Marketing

Enable dynamic campaign reporting. Marketing can filter results by campaign, date range, or region. Sales can pull their own territory numbers without bothering IT.

Example: Lock the campaign; configure a reporting window. 
WHERE campaign_id = 'CMP-0425'
AND event_date BETWEEN '2025-04-01' AND '2025-04-30'
Locked: campaign_idConfigurable: event_date range

Education & Training

Teach SQL concepts interactively. Students can run queries with different parameters from Google Sheets to see how filters affect results, no database setup required.

Example: Lock the class or course; let learners change the practice window. 
WHERE class_code = 'SQL-101'
AND run_date BETWEEN '2025-01-01' AND '2025-02-15'
Locked: class_codeConfigurable: run_date range

Types of Filters You Can Create

Query Streams detects and configures eight types of parameters automatically. Each becomes a specific type of input in Excel and Google Sheets:

Text InputsCustomer codes, PO numbers, any string value
Number InputsQuantities, IDs, threshold values
Multi-SelectDropdowns from IN/NOT IN lists
Date PickersSmart defaults: today, start of month, -30 days
Date RangesPeriod reporting: YTD, MTD, custom ranges
SQL Variables@StartDate, @EndDate become user inputs
Min/Max RangesBETWEEN clauses for numeric filtering
Toggle SwitchesBoolean flags: active/inactive, true/false

Security First: How It Protects Your Data

SQL Stays HiddenEnd users never see your query structure or table names
Read-Only AccessParameters can only filter – they cannot modify data
Input ValidationRestrict inputs to predefined lists or ranges
No Credentials SharedUsers get query access, not database access
Audit TrailTrack who ran what query with which parameters

Getting Started

  1. Write your SQL: Use your normal queries with hard-coded values
  2. Review detections: Query Streams shows what it found in the Properties tab
  3. Configure inputs: Toggle on the parameters you want to expose, set defaults and descriptions
  4. Share the query: Grant access to users who need it
  5. Users run from Excel/Sheets: They see inputs, enter values, and get live results

No code changes. No infrastructure. Just smarter, self-service reporting.

Learn More

Ready to dive deeper? Explore our live documentation to get hands-on quickly:

Frequently Asked Questions

Query Streams automatically detects string literals, numeric values, date values, date ranges (BETWEEN clauses), IN/NOT IN lists, and named SQL variables like @StartDate or :param. Each detected value is mapped to the appropriate input type in Excel or Google Sheets.

Yes. In the Properties tab of the Query Builder, you can choose which detected values become user-configurable inputs and which remain locked. Locked values are applied automatically but never exposed to end users, perfect for security filtering like vendor IDs or cost centers.

No. Users only see the query name and the filter inputs you have configured. The underlying SQL, table names, and database structure remain completely hidden. This is a key security feature that differentiates Query Streams from traditional database connectors.

Absolutely. Each filter supports smart defaults including: specific values, today’s date, start of month, end of month, relative dates like -30 days, and more. Users can change these defaults or run with them as-is.

Yes. The same query with the same filters works identically in both Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. You can share a query with users regardless of which spreadsheet platform they prefer, and they will see the same filter interface.

Ready to Build Dynamic Reports?

Transform your static SQL queries into interactive, self-service reports for Excel and Google Sheets. Start for free today.

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Category: Product Guides
Tags: Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Live Data, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Parameters, Filters, Self-Service Analytics, Dynamic Reports, SQL Variables

Meta Description: Transform static SQL into dynamic reports. Query Streams auto-detects filters and creates user inputs for Excel and Google Sheets – no coding required.

Author Bio:
The Query Streams Team comprises seasoned database experts, network security professionals, and enterprise networking veterans with over 25 years of combined experience in data management, analytics, and secure software development.

Updated on October 4, 2026

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