# SQL Starter Cheatsheet

## The analyst flow

1. Start with the business question.
2. Select only the columns you need.
3. Filter before you aggregate.
4. Name every metric and validate the grain.

```sql
SELECT product_category, SUM(revenue) AS revenue
FROM orders
WHERE order_date >= '2026-01-01'
GROUP BY product_category
ORDER BY revenue DESC;
```

Remember: `WHERE` filters rows before grouping; `HAVING` filters groups after aggregation.