Advanced Queries Master complex search patterns, filtering techniques, and efficient data retrieval strategies using the FRED MCP Server.
Advanced Search Multi-term Search Combine multiple keywords:
{ "query" : "unemployment rate seasonally adjusted" , "limit" : 20 , "sort_by" : "popularity" }
Search strategies:
More specific terms = fewer, more relevant results
Include seasonal adjustment status
Add frequency (monthly, quarterly)
Specify geographic scope (national, state)
Wildcard Patterns Use partial series IDs:
{ "query" : "UNRATE*" , "search_type" : "series_id" }
Returns:
UNRATE (National)
UNRATENSA (Not seasonally adjusted)
UNRATEUSA (Alternate series)
Source-Specific Searches Find series from specific agencies:
{ "query" : "employment" , "tags" : [ "bls" ], "limit" : 50 }
{ "query" : "gdp" , "tags" : [ "bea" ], "limit" : 50 }
{ "query" : "interest rate" , "tags" : [ "frb" ], "limit" : 50 }
{ "query" : "housing" , "tags" : [ "census" ], "limit" : 50 }
Tag-Based Filtering Multiple Tag Combinations { "query" : "inflation" , "tags" : [ "monthly" , "sa" , "usa" ], "tag_mode" : "all" // Must match all tags }
Common tag combinations:
Quarterly National Accounts [ "quarterly" , "bea" , "nipa" ]
Daily Financial Data [ "daily" , "finance" , "rates" ]
State-Level Data [ "state" , "monthly" , "sa" ]
Tag Discovery Find related tags:
{ "query" : "employment" , "include_observation_values" : false , "sort_by" : "popularity" }
Then examine tags in results to refine search.
Category-Based Browsing Navigate Hierarchy
Start at Root
Returns top-level categories
Drill Down
{ "category_id" : 10 // Employment & Labor }
Returns subcategories
Get Series
{ "category_id" : 11 , // Current Employment Statistics "limit" : 100 }
Returns series in category Popular Categories Category ID Name Series Count 32991 Money, Banking & Finance ~10,000 10 Population, Employment & Labor ~15,000 1 Production & Business Activity ~40,000 32455 Prices ~25,000 32263 International Data ~60,000 3008 U.S. Regional Data ~30,000
Geographic Queries State-Level Data Find data for specific states:
{ "query" : "unemployment rate" , "tags" : [ "state" , "monthly" , "sa" ], "limit" : 50 }
State code patterns:
Format: {INDICATOR}{STATE}
Example: CAUR (California Unemployment Rate)
// Unemployment { "series_id" : "CAUR" } // GDP { "series_id" : "CANGSP" } // Home Price Index { "series_id" : "CASTHPI" }
// Unemployment { "series_id" : "TXUR" } // GDP { "series_id" : "TXNGSP" } // Home Price Index { "series_id" : "TXSTHPI" }
// Unemployment { "series_id" : "NYUR" } // GDP { "series_id" : "NYNGSP" } // Home Price Index { "series_id" : "NYSTHPI" }
Metro Area Data Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs):
{ "query" : "unemployment rate" , "tags" : [ "msa" , "monthly" ], "limit" : 100 }
Example MSAs:
LAUMT064910 : Los Angeles-Long Beach-AnaheimLAUMT364190 : New York-Newark-Jersey CityLAUMT121410 : Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
International Data { "query" : "gdp" , "tags" : [ "oecd" ], "limit" : 50 } // Or specific countries { "query" : "gdp japan" , "limit" : 20 }
Frequency-Specific Searches Daily Data { "tags" : [ "daily" ], "query" : "interest rate" , "limit" : 20 }
Common daily series:
Treasury yields (DGS2, DGS10, DGS30)
Fed funds rate (DFF)
Exchange rates (DEXUSEU, DEXJPUS)
Stock indices (SP500, DJIA)
High-Frequency Financial { "tags" : [ "daily" , "finance" ], "sort_by" : "popularity" , "limit" : 50 }
Low-Frequency Data Annual or less frequent:
{ "tags" : [ "annual" ], "query" : "population" , "limit" : 30 }
Date Range Optimization Recent Data Only { "series_id" : "GDP" , "observation_start" : "2020-Q1" , "observation_end" : "2024-Q3" }
Limiting date ranges reduces API payload size and improves performance
Historical Analysis Long-term series:
{ "series_id" : "CPIAUCSL" , "observation_start" : "1947-01-01" , // Series inception "observation_end" : "2024-10-01" }
Rolling Windows Get last N periods:
{ "series_id" : "UNRATE" , "observation_start" : "2023-01-01" , // Last ~20 months "sort_order" : "desc" , "limit" : 20 }
Complex Filtering Popularity Threshold Focus on commonly-used series:
{ "query" : "gdp" , "sort_by" : "popularity" , "limit" : 100 }
Filter results where popularity > 50:
results . filter ( series => series . popularity > 50 )
Frequency Filtering Find only monthly series:
{ "query" : "inflation" , "tags" : [ "monthly" ] }
Seasonal Adjustment Prefer seasonally adjusted:
{ "query" : "retail sales" , "tags" : [ "sa" ] // Seasonally adjusted only }
Batch Retrieval Multiple Series Retrieve related series efficiently:
const series_ids = [ "UNRATE" , // Unemployment "CPIAUCSL" , // CPI "GDP" , // GDP "DFF" , // Fed Funds "SP500" // Stock Market ]; // Request each series_ids . forEach ( id => { fred_get_series ({ series_id: id , observation_start: "2020-01-01" }); });
Category Sweep Get all series in a category:
{ "category_id" : 11 , // Current Employment Statistics "limit" : 1000 , // Max per request "offset" : 0 } // If more than 1000, paginate: // offset: 1000, 2000, 3000, etc.
Search Optimization Precision vs Recall High Precision
High Recall
Balanced
{ "query" : "UNRATE" , // Exact ID "search_type" : "series_id" }
Returns: 1 exact match { "query" : "unemployment" // Broad term }
Returns: ~500 related series { "query" : "unemployment rate monthly" , "tags" : [ "sa" , "usa" ], "limit" : 20 }
Returns: 20 most relevant Sort Strategies
{ "sort_by" : "popularity" }
Best for: Finding commonly-used series
{ "sort_by" : "title" , "sort_order" : "asc" }
Best for: Alphabetical browsing
{ "sort_by" : "last_updated" , "sort_order" : "desc" }
Best for: Finding recently updated data
{ "sort_by" : "series_id" , "sort_order" : "asc" }
Best for: Finding related series by ID pattern Real-World Query Patterns Economic Dashboard Build a monitoring dashboard:
const dashboard_queries = [ // Labor Market { series_ids: [ "UNRATE" , "PAYEMS" , "CIVPART" ], start: "2020-01-01" , transform: "lin" }, // Inflation { series_ids: [ "CPIAUCSL" , "CPILFESL" , "PCEPI" ], start: "2020-01-01" , transform: "pc1" }, // Growth { series_ids: [ "GDP" , "GDPC1" , "INDPRO" ], start: "2020-Q1" , transform: "pca" }, // Markets { series_ids: [ "DFF" , "DGS10" , "SP500" ], start: "2020-01-01" , transform: "lin" } ];
Comparative Analysis Compare across geographies:
const states = [ "CA" , "TX" , "NY" , "FL" ]; const indicator = "UR" ; // Unemployment Rate states . forEach ( state => { fred_get_series ({ series_id: ` ${ state }${ indicator } ` , observation_start: "2020-01-01" }); });
Historical Research Long-term trend analysis:
{ "series_id" : "CPIAUCSL" , "observation_start" : "1947-01-01" , // Full history "units" : "pc1" , // Annual inflation "frequency" : "a" , // Annual frequency "aggregation_method" : "eop" // End of period }
Nowcasting Get most recent values:
{ "series_id" : "UNRATE" , "sort_order" : "desc" , "limit" : 1 // Just the latest }
Use Specific IDs
When known, use exact series IDs instead of search
Limit Date Ranges
Request only needed time periods
Apply Filters Early
Use tags to narrow before searching
Plan Data Needs
Identify what data you need upfront to avoid redundant calls
Batch Related Queries
Group similar requests together
Troubleshooting Common issues:
No results : Query too specific, try broader termsToo many results : Add tags or more specific termsSlow queries : Reduce date range or result limitUnexpected series : Check tags and sort order Query Refinement // Too broad (10,000 results) { "query" : "rate" } // Better (500 results) { "query" : "interest rate" } // Best (20 results) { "query" : "interest rate" , "tags" : [ "daily" , "treasury" ], "limit" : 20 }
Next Steps 
