Ask Questions
How Statement reasons about data
When you ask Statement a question or set up an automation, it isn't just running a stored query against a database, it's interpreting the request in the context of your business, deciding what data it needs, pulling from the right connected systems, and constructing an answer (or a report, or an action) from that. Statement starts by working out what your question needs: which data to use, what period to look at, and which calculations to perform. It can use information from your connected services or selected uploaded files, depending on what you’re asking. For example, ask “How did our Stripe revenue change last month?” Statement identifies the two periods to compare, retrieves the relevant revenue figures from your connected Stripe data, and calculates both the amount and percentage of the change. It then turns those results into a clear explanation, with a table or chart when useful. The calculations happen before the explanation is written, so the answer is grounded in the data retrieved for your question. You can continue with follow-up questions without repeating the full context. If a detail is unclear-such as which connected service to use-Statement asks you to clarify before continuing.
Common mistakes
Make the question specific. “Show me the numbers” leaves the metric, source, and time period unclear. Try “Show monthly revenue from Stripe for the last six months” to give Statement a clear starting point. Make the relevant data available. Connect the service or select the uploaded file your request depends on. If several connected services could answer the question, name the one you want Statement to use. Separate the reporting period from the update schedule. “Show last month’s revenue” defines which figures to retrieve. “Refresh this app every Monday at 9 a.m. India time” defines when to update them. Include both when you want a recurring view. Specify where automated results should go. “Send this to the team” leaves the destination unclear. Name the connected app and exact recipient or channel so Statement has the details needed to prepare the delivery.
In-app chat
In-app chat brings Statement’s chat alongside the application you’re viewing. It uses the app’s associated conversation, letting you continue discussing or refining the app without leaving the page. It has access to Statement’s broader capabilities and your project’s connected sources, rather than being restricted to the numbers currently displayed. If a follow-up needs more detail, Statement can retrieve additional data. For example, you could ask “Break March’s revenue down by customer” to investigate a spike, or “Add that breakdown below the chart” to update the app. Asking a question doesn’t require rebuilding the application; changes to the app can be requested separately. The chat is opened through the app’s editing flow. Describe the chart, metric, or period you mean-clicking a chart does not automatically pass that selection into the conversation.
Example questions
- What's my runway?
- Why did cash fall?
- Which customers owe me money?
- Compare this month to last month. Answers depend on the selected sources and data available.