Query Builder Overview: Creating a Quick Query - Student Success
  • 25 Apr 2024
  • 2 minute read
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Query Builder Overview: Creating a Quick Query - Student Success

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Article summary

The Query Builder is used to isolate records that meet specific criteria. Some of the queries created in Slate will be used continually as part of business processes, while others can be used just once to accomplish a non-recurring task. Choose New Query when the query should be saved for future use, or choose Quick Query for ad hoc queries. 

Create a Quick Query

  • Click Queries / Reports in the top navigation bar.

  • Click Quick Query

  • Pick a Type and a Base for the query. Queries should be built using Configurable Joins.

The query base determines what each row of the query results will represent. For example, a query on the Application base will return one row per application, while a query on the Person base will return one row per person record.

While the base selected will begin to define the query results, you must apply filters to limit the records appearing in the query results more precisely.

🔔 Important!

You cannot change the query base once the query build is started.

Quick Query Options

Quick Query Options 

Run Query

Once exports and filters are added, click Run Query to display query results.

Preview Results

See a sample of query results before running the query.

Display SQL

View the SQL generated from adding exports and filters.

Copy

Save a quick query for future use.

NOTE: When saving a Quick Query, update the folder destination. 

Add Exports

Add Exports 

Export

Click Export to begin defining the data (i.e., the columns) that appear when the query runs.

Literal

Click Literal to add a static value as an export column. Every row in the query results will have the same static value in this column.

Formula

Click Formula to produce calculated values based on a defined formula.

Custom SQL

Click Custom SQL to add a custom export column. This option is used for more complex data exports. In many cases, Configurable Joins removes the need for custom SQL exports.

Existence

Select Existence to return a value based on whether or not the record meets certain criteria. On Configurable Joins query bases, Existence exports are created using subqueries.

Subquery 

Configurable Joins query bases include the option to add subquery exports.

Add Filters

Add Filters 

Filter

Click Filter to restrict the population of records to be exported. Add as many filters as needed.

Custom SQL

Click the Custom SQL button to add a custom SQL filter. This option is used for more complex data exports. In many cases, Configurable Joins removes the need for custom SQL filters.

OR, NOT, ), (

When necessary, add OR and NOT logic operators. You must use parentheses with logic operators.

Subquery

Configurable Joins query bases include the option to add subquery filters.


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