MS4BI Query: a different world of BI

MS4BI Query is the only no-code/low-code BI solution that allows querying Excel, SQL, ODBC or SQLite files in just 3 lines of code — and editing results directly in the web interface. A revolution for transactional applications, HR, or sales management.

✔ Simple, ✔ Agile, ✔ Powerful

What is a Query in Business Intelligence?

A "query" is an instruction used to extract data from a database. The most common language used is SQL (Structured Query Language), a standard used in BI tools to explore, sort, filter, or aggregate data.

MS4BI takes this concept further by making it even simpler, more dynamic, visual, and customizable — even for regular Excel files!

Why choose MS4BI Query?

✅ Write SQL queries on Excel files or remote databases
✅ Automatic web interface generation
✅ Connect via ODBC, ADO.NET, Oracle, SQLite3, PostgreSQL, and more
✅ Dynamic multi-criteria filters for transactional apps
✅ Ultra-simple syntax with MS4Script

🔎 The 4 Types of MS4BI Queries

Web Query

Simple queries on Excel generating responsive web pages automatically — in 3 lines of MS4Script.

Custom Query

Allows full HTML/CSS customization using begin_sw. Ideal for building your own web templates.

Transactional Query

Enables direct entry or database updates from the displayed grid, with secure inline editing.

Query in a MS4BI App

Dynamic forms with InputQuery fields linked to databases. Perfect for multi-criteria filtering.

🔍 Example 1: Excel query in 3 lines

 DBconnect{Ado:"xls"} ("#DRIVERSYS+:\MandragorePlanete\MS4BI\...\viewInvoices.xls");
tabname := "[viewInvoices$]";varname := "SAVEA";
Ms4_Query:Web {Ado:"xls"}("SELECT * FROM %s WHERE CUSTOMERID = '%s' ORDER BY 1 DESC", tabname, varname);

🔍 Example 2: Custom Web Query

DBconnect{Ms4DB}(LEnvDemoExcelDB);
position : 50,50,auto,auto:
Ms4_Query:Custom{Ms4DB}
title: "# /r Query Custom/Designer /r #"
begin_sw
 <link rel='stylesheet' href='/ui/content/css/designer/css/....css'>
  <table id="ID1" class='table table-responsive responsable0'>
  <style>
    #ID1 th   { background-color:red; color:white; font-size:32px; }
    #ID1 td  { background-color:gray; color:RGB(255,255,225); font-size:12px; }
  </style>
end_sw
("SELECT DISTINCT * FROM [ms4EmplConsolidationBusiness] GROUP BY employeeid LIMIT 10");

🟢 Example 3: Query with transactional input (inline edit)

Ms4_query:Custom{Ms4DB} 
  Option :
    BEGIN 
      inlineEdit: table : "ms4RefEmployees", field : "lastname as name1, firstname as prenom, title"
    END 
("SELECT * FROM ms4RefEmployees ORDER BY lastname");

🔍 Example 4: Query in a MS4BI application

 Begin_FormWeb; 
 <InputQuery: type="text" IDname="CATEGORY" like: table("Family") class=standardMs4>;
  <InputQuery: type="int" IDname="MONTH" like: table("Family") class=standardMs4>;
  <...>;
  <InputQuery: type=SubmitForm() class="btn btn-lg btn-warning" attrib="value='Submit'">;
End_FormWeb;

🆚 Objective comparison with other BI tools

MS4BI

✅ SQL & Web Query
✅ Native Excel query
✅ Built-in dynamic filters
✅ Automatic web interface
✅ Native inline editing

Power BI

❌ No direct web support
✔ SQL possible (via data sources)
❌ Complex data transformations
❌ No direct Excel query
❌ No inline editing

Tableau

✔ SQL supported
❌ No easy Excel querying
❌ No direct web customization
❌ No inline editing

This comparison table highlights real-world functional differences.

Query, Grid

MS4BI Query, Grid

Contact our team or consult our guides to better understand MS4BI.

⚡ MS4BI Philosophy: power + simplicity + speed.

MS4BI is built on a No Code / Low Code productivity-first approach.
With MS4Script, you can build dashboards, charts, queries, menus, or business apps in just a few lines — without dealing with web and server technicalities.
Whether you are a developer or a business user, you have the power to create.

What is MS4BI?