# Data Overview

When you connect a MySQL database to Coupler.io, you're exporting data directly from a table or view. The structure and content of the exported data depends entirely on your MySQL schema.

## What gets exported

You select a single table or view, and Coupler.io exports all rows and columns from that table (unless you apply filters). Each column in your MySQL table becomes a column in your destination spreadsheet, database table, or AI destination.

## Supported data types

MySQL's common data types are fully supported:

| Data Type                   | Example                         | How it appears     |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------------ |
| INT, BIGINT, FLOAT, DECIMAL | 42, 3.14                        | Numbers            |
| VARCHAR, CHAR, TEXT         | "Hello World"                   | Text               |
| DATE, DATETIME, TIMESTAMP   | 2024-01-15, 2024-01-15 10:30:00 | Date/time          |
| BOOLEAN                     | TRUE, FALSE                     | 1 or 0             |
| JSON                        | {"key": "value"}                | Text (JSON string) |

## Filtering and transformations

You can apply filters directly in Coupler.io to export only the rows you need — for example, orders from the last 30 days, or customers in a specific region. Use the date picker to set dynamic date ranges that refresh with each run.

If you need to combine data from multiple MySQL tables, use **Join** or **Append** transformations:

* **Join** — connect a customers table with an orders table using a shared ID
* **Append** — stack data from multiple similar tables into one export

## Common export scenarios

**Export a customer list to Google Sheets** — create a live spreadsheet that updates daily with new customer records, automatically filtered by status or signup date.

**Send sales data to BigQuery** — schedule hourly exports of your orders table to BigQuery for advanced analytics and historical tracking.

**Analyze data in Claude** — export your metrics table and send it directly to Claude for instant analysis and insights via the AI destination.

**Monitor performance in Looker Studio** — export a metrics table and connect it to a Looker Studio dashboard that refreshes daily.

## Use cases by role

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Analysts" %}
**Export raw transaction data** — send your complete transactions table to BigQuery or a data warehouse for deeper analysis, filtering by date range or transaction type.

**Build live dashboards** — export aggregated metrics from MySQL to Google Sheets, then connect them to Looker Studio for real-time monitoring.

**Combine multiple data sources** — join your MySQL customer table with transaction data, then append results from a secondary database for a unified view.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Marketing teams" %}
**Track campaign performance** — export your campaigns table daily to Google Sheets, filtered by status or date range, for quick performance reviews.

**Send lead lists to Claude** — export your leads table directly to Claude to analyze lead quality, identify high-value segments, or draft outreach messaging.

**Monitor subscriber growth** — export your subscribers table to Looker Studio and watch subscription trends update daily.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Operations" %}
**Automate reporting** — schedule daily exports of your key metrics table to Excel or Google Sheets for stakeholder reports.

**Track inventory** — export your inventory table hourly to monitor stock levels and alert the team to low-stock items.

**Audit database changes** — export your audit log or activity table regularly to maintain compliance and track system changes.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Finance teams" %}
**Export financial data** — send your transactions, invoices, or account tables to BigQuery or Excel for reconciliation and reporting.

**Analyze trends** — export historical data (filtered by date) and send it to Claude for instant trend analysis and forecasting insights.

**Consolidate data** — join multiple finance tables (revenues, expenses, payables) and append data from different business units into one unified export.
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Platform-specific notes

* **AWS RDS** — whitelist Coupler.io IPs in your security group's inbound rules (port 3306, TCP)
* **Google Cloud SQL** — add Coupler.io IPs to your authorized networks list
* **Azure Database for MySQL** — configure firewall rules to allow Coupler.io's IPs
* **DigitalOcean Managed Databases** — add Coupler.io IPs to your firewall
* **Hosted providers (Bluehost, SiteGround, etc.)** — contact support to whitelist IPs, or ask your provider how to enable remote database access
* **Views** — Coupler.io supports exporting from views as well as base tables
* **Large tables** — tables with millions of rows may require splitting into smaller date ranges or using filters to avoid timeouts