You need to use an ADODB.Command object that you can add parameters to. Here's basically what that looks like
Sub adotest() Dim Cn As ADODB.Connection Dim Cm As ADODB.Command Dim Pm As ADODB.Parameter Dim Rs as ADODB.Recordset Set Cn = New ADODB.Connection Cn.Open "mystring" Set Cm = New ADODB.Command With Cm .ActiveConnection = Cn .CommandText = "SELECT * FROM table WHERE parentid=?;" .CommandType = adCmdText Set Pm = .CreateParameter("parentid", adNumeric, adParamInput) Pm.Value = 1 .Parameters.Append Pm Set Rs = .Execute End With End Sub
The question mark in the CommandText is the placeholder for the parameter. I believe, but I'm not positive, that the order you Append parameters must match the order of the questions marks (when you have more than one). Don't be fooled that the parameter is named "parentid" because I don't think ADO cares about the name other than for identification.