---
title: "Filtering with MS SQL"
description: "Filtering with MS SQL"
keywords: "Filtering with MS SQL SQL syntax SQL operators"
url: "https://myrapidi.com/wiki/filtering_with_ms_sql"
locale: "en"
published: "2026-01-23T14:56:09Z"
modified: "2026-01-23T14:56:09Z"
---

Filtering with MS SQL uses standard SQL WHERE clause syntax. MS SQL (Microsoft SQL Server) supports a rich set of operators, functions, and data types for flexible querying.

## Filter Syntax Rules

- MS SQL filters are **case-insensitive** by default (depending on collation settings)
- Use single quotes for string/text values: `'text value'`
- **Field names with spaces or special characters must be enclosed in square brackets** **`[Field Name]`**
- Multiple filter criteria can be combined using `AND` and `OR` operators
- Date and datetime values should be formatted as strings: `'YYYY-MM-DD'` or `'YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS'`

## Examples: 

| Field Name | Filter |
| --- | --- |
| CustomerID | CustomerID = 'CUST001' |
| Name | Name = 'Acme Corporation' |
| Order Status | [Order Status] = 'Completed' |
| Description | Description LIKE '%bicycle%' |
| ProductCode | ProductCode LIKE 'PROD-%' |
| Email | Email LIKE '%@example.com' |
| Comments | Comments IS NULL |
| ShipDate | ShipDate IS NOT NULL |
| Notes | Notes = '' |
| ItemNumber | ItemNumber != '' |
| Amount | Amount \> 1000 |
| ModifiedDate | ModifiedDate \>= DATEADD(day, -7, GETDATE()) |
| Status | Status IN ('Active', 'Pending', 'Processing') |
| CustomerID | CustomerID NOT IN ('', 'CUST999', 'TEST001') |
| Status | Status = 'Active' AND Amount \> 500 |
| Product Type | [Product Type] = 'Hardware' OR [Product Type] = 'Software' |
| OrderDate | OrderDate \>= '2025-01-01' |
| OrderID | OrderID IN (SELECT OrderID FROM Orders WHERE OrderDate \>= '2025-01-01' AND CustomerID NOT IN ('', 'CUST001', 'CUST002')) |
  
Important Notes:

- **Field Names with Spaces** : Always use square brackets `[Field Name]` when the field name contains spaces or special characters.
- **String Values** : Always enclose string values in single quotes `'value'`.
- **Date Format** : Use ISO format `'YYYY-MM-DD'` or `'YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS'` for dates.
- **NULL vs Empty String** : NULL and empty string ('') are different - use `IS NULL` for NULL checks, use `= ''` for empty strings.
- **Performance** : Use indexed columns in WHERE clauses for better performance.
- **Wildcards** : `%` matches any sequence of characters, `_` matches a single character.
- **Case Sensitivity** : Depends on database collation settings - default is usually case-insensitive.

## Troubleshooting Tips:

- If a filter isn't working as expected, verify the exact field name and data type.
- Test filters directly in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) before using in Rapidi.
- Use parentheses to control operator precedence in complex conditions
- When using LIKE, remember that `%` is a wildcard (not `*` like in NAV)