Parameters in Query Designer vs. Excel
When selection criteria is to be specified in Excel, parameters are added to a query as placeholders. A default parameter value may be defined in the query for testing purposes, and the actual criteria is specified in Excel at the time the formula is executed.
Query Designer
When a query is created or modified, it is standard practice to execute it in Query Designer, to test the results. When testing a query, parameter values are specified in the Parameters panel.
Excel
Query Designer queries are executed in Excel through formulas (GEXQ
, GEXD
, GEXS
, GEXI
, etc.). Each of these formulas contain arguments, where parameter values may be specified. These values may be hardcoded in the formula definition; however, it is recommended to use cell references.