Filters & Parameters

Parameters make your questions dynamic — viewers can change values without editing SQL. When added to dashboards, parameters become shared filters.

Question-level parameters

Use the :paramName syntax in SQL:

SELECT *
FROM orders
WHERE created_at >= :start_date
  AND created_at < :end_date
  AND region = :region
LIMIT :limit

Parameters are automatically detected from your SQL. Each gets an input widget based on its type:

Dashboard-level filters

When questions with matching parameters are added to a dashboard, they automatically merge into shared filters.

How merging works

• Parameters merge by name + type — both must match
• If three questions all use :start_date (type: date), the dashboard shows one date picker
• Changing the filter re-executes all affected questions

Behavior

• Parameter types are editable in question view, locked in dashboard view
• Each question retains its own default parameter values
• Dashboard filters override question defaults when set

Adding filters to a dashboard

1. Open a question and add a parameter to its SQL (e.g., :region)
2. Set the parameter type (text, number, or date)
3. Save the question
4. Add it to a dashboard
5. The parameter appears as a dashboard-level filter automatically