---
title: "Pre-load Data Processing Script"
slug: "pre-processing"
description: "Run a SQL query just before data loads, triggered by a Tree Filter selection or Refresh, for example to pre-fill a forecast the user then edits."
updated: 2025-01-30T14:11:37Z
published: 2025-01-30T14:11:37Z
canonical: "sqlspreads.com/pre-processing"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sqlspreads.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pre-load Data Processing Script

## Introduction

A pre-load script allows the execution of a SQL query when an end user selects a new item in a Tree Filter or clicks the Refresh button.

The pre-load script is executed just before the data is loaded into the spreadsheet. Pre-loading can be used to populate tables with data based on user selections in a Tree Filter or to perform other data manipulations.

The ability to pre-load data into your SQL Server table is beneficial in use cases such as forecasting to pre-load a table with a proposal that the user can edit.

## How to add a pre-load script

These are the steps you need to follow to add a pre-load script into your SQL Spreads solution:

1. Click the Data Processing button in the SQL Spreads tab. ![Data Processing button in the SQL Spreads ribbon](https://cdn.document360.io/ad9d65b3-9cdd-4b28-8cb8-86cb149873bc/Images/Documentation/Data%20Processing%20button.PNG)
2. Enter a name for your new script. ![New Script name field for Data Processing](https://cdn.document360.io/ad9d65b3-9cdd-4b28-8cb8-86cb149873bc/Images/Documentation/Data%20Processing%20Script%20Name%20field.PNG)
3. Set the timing for the script execution to "Before data loads from SQL Server." ![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/ad9d65b3-9cdd-4b28-8cb8-86cb149873bc/Images/Documentation/image%28254%29.png)
4. Enter your SQL query. ![Enter SQL query dialog](https://cdn.document360.io/ad9d65b3-9cdd-4b28-8cb8-86cb149873bc/Images/Documentation/Enter%20SQL%20Query%20field.PNG)
5. Click OK.