[QODBC Desktop] How to Filter sp_report Results by Class Using the ClassFilterFullNames Parameter

Problem Description:

When using sp_report stored procedures in QODBC (e.g., ProfitAndLossBudgetOverview, SalesByItemSummary), you may need to filter the report output by a specific class or group of classes. Some users ask whether they can use SQL's LIKE '%Restricted%' syntax or other wildcard patterns in sp_report parameters to match partial class names.

Affected products: QODBC Desktop, QuickBooks Desktop
Expected outcome: You can filter sp_report results by exact class full names using the ClassFilterFullNames parameter. Wildcard filtering is not supported - you must specify the full class name(s) explicitly.

Symptoms:

• You know the class names contain certain keywords (e.g., "Restricted"), but you don't know the exact full names stored in QuickBooks.
• You tried using wildcard filtering (e.g., ClassFilterFullNames = '%Restricted%') and it did not work.
• You are unsure whether QODBC or QuickBooks supports partial-class matching in sp_report queries.

Solution:

Step 1: Discover the Exact Class Full Names

First, query the Class table to find the exact full names of the classes you want. The Class table does support wildcard filtering:

SELECT ListID, FullName FROM Class WHERE FullName LIKE '%Restricted%'

This returns the exact FullName values (e.g., "Restricted Grants", "Restricted Donations") that you will use in your sp_report query.

Step 2: Use ClassFilterFullNames in Your sp_report Query

Pass the exact full names from Step 1 to the ClassFilterFullNames parameter. Multiple classes are comma-separated:

EXEC sp_report ProfitAndLossBudgetOverview
  SHOW Amount_Title, Text, Label, Amount
  PARAMETERS
    FiscalYear = 2026,
    BudgetCriterion = 'AccountsAndClasses',
    SummarizeBudgetRowsBy = 'Account',
    SummarizeBudgetColumnsBy = 'Date',
    DateFrom = {d '2026-02-01'},
    DateTo = {d '2027-01-31'},
    ClassFilterFullNames = 'Restricted Grants', 'Restricted Donations'

SDK Limitations:

• No wildcard filtering in sp_report parameters. The QuickBooks SDK does not support wildcard patterns (e.g., LIKE, %) in sp_report parameter values. You must provide exact class full names.
• Report layout is controlled by the SDK, not QODBC. When using BudgetCriterion = 'AccountsAndClasses', QuickBooks may display Classes as columns instead of dates regardless of what you set for SummarizeBudgetColumnsBy. This behavior is determined by the QuickBooks SDK and cannot be overridden through QODBC.
• QODBC's role: QODBC sends your query parameters to the QuickBooks SDK, which processes the report. QODBC formats the result set but does not control how the SDK structures the output columns or rows.

Workaround - Pivot in Your Application:

If you need dates as columns and the SDK returns classes instead, consider filtering the report data in your application layer (Excel Power Query, Python, etc.) after retrieving it from QODBC. You can pivot or reshape the results programmatically.

Related Articles:

How sp_report Parameters Work in QODBC QuickBooks SDK Limitations on Wildcard Filtering Understanding Report Layout Control in QuickBooks

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