# WITH DATA CATEGORY

You can search for Salesforce Knowledge articles and questions by their data category in a SOQL query. `WITH DATA CATEGORY` is an optional clause in a `SELECT` statement that’s used to filter records that are associated with one or more data categories and are visible to users.

```soql
[WITH [DATA CATEGORY] filteringExpression]
```

If `WITH DATA CATEGORY` is specified, the `query()` returns only matching records that are associated with the specified data categories and are visible to the user. If unspecified, the `query()` only returns the matching records that are visible to the user.

:::important
`CategoryData` is an object and DATA CATEGORY is syntax in a SOQL `WITH` clause. `WITH DATA CATEGORY` is valid syntax, but `WITH CategoryData` is not supported.
:::

A SOQL statement using a `WITH DATA CATEGORY` clause must also include a `FROM ObjectTypeName` clause where ObjectTypeName equals:

- `KnowledgeArticleVersion` to query all article types
- an article type `API Name` to query a specific article type
- `Question` to query questions

When ObjectTypeName equals to [KnowledgeArticleVersion](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.object_reference.meta/object_reference/sforce_api_objects_knowledgearticleversion.htm) or any article type `API Name` in the `FROM` clause, a `WHERE` clause must be specified with one of the following parameters:

- `PublishStatus` to query articles depending on their status in the publishing cycle:

  - `WHERE PublishStatus='online'` for published articles
  - `WHERE PublishStatus='archived'` for archived articles
  - `WHERE PublishStatus='draft'` for draft articles

- `Id` to query an article based on its id

For information on article types or questions, see “Knowledge Article Types” in Salesforce Help.

:::note
The `WITH DATA CATEGORY` clause does not support [bind variables](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexcode.meta/apexcode/langCon_apex_SOQL_variables.htm). The clause can have no more than three data category conditions.
:::

## filteringExpression

The filteringExpression in the `WITH DATA CATEGORY` clause uses the following syntax:

```soql
dataCategorySelection [AND [dataCategorySelection][...]

```

The examples in this section are based on the following data category group:

```nolang
Geography__c
    ww__c
        northAmerica__c
            usa__c
            canada__c
            mexico__c
        europe__c
            france__c
            uk__c
        asia__c
```

The category filtering in the statements below is highlighted in bold.

- `SELECT Title FROM KnowledgeArticleVersion WHERE PublishStatus='online' WITH DATA CATEGORY Geography__c ABOVE usa__c`
- `SELECT Title FROM Question WHERE LastReplyDate > 2005-10-08T01:02:03Z WITH DATA CATEGORY Geography__c AT (usa__c, uk__c)`
- `SELECT UrlName FROM KnowledgeArticleVersion WHERE PublishStatus='draft' WITH DATA CATEGORY Geography__c AT usa__c AND Product__c ABOVE_OR_BELOW mobile_phones__c`

You can only use the `AND` logical operator. The following syntax is incorrect as `OR` is not supported:

```soql
WITH DATA CATEGORY Geography__c ABOVE usa__c OR Product__c AT mobile_phones__c
```