Text-to-SQL turns a question written in ordinary language into a query a database can run.

Why it is useful

Business information often lives in tables that only analysts know how to query. Text-to-SQL can reduce the gap between the person with a question and the person who knows the schema.

Why it is harder than it looks

Generating valid SQL is only the first step. A useful system must understand business definitions, choose the right tables, avoid double counting, handle time correctly and check whether the result is plausible.

What to evaluate

  • Can the system use your business definitions?
  • Does it show the sources and logic behind an answer?
  • Does it respect existing access controls?
  • Does it say when a question cannot be answered safely?

Text-to-SQL is one useful technique inside a broader business workflow. The value comes from helping the right person make a better decision while the answer still matters.