Thanx for the info' Mark . This is the SQL . SELECT /*ordered index (prrv pay_run_result_values_pk)*/ pap.employee_number employee_number ,papr.payroll_name payroll_name ,pbt.balance_name b1 ,pbd.dimension_name b2 ,ppa.effective_date effective_date ,TO_NUMBER(prrv.result_value) * pbff.scale value FROM pay_all_payrolls_f papr ,pay_payroll_actions ppa ,pay_assignment_actions paa ,per_all_assignments_f paaf ,per_all_people_f pap ,pay_run_results prr ,pay_balance_types pbt ,pay_defined_balances pdb ,pay_balance_dimensions pbd ,pay_balance_feeds_f pbff ,pay_run_result_values prrv WHERE pap.person_id = paaf.person_id AND TO_DATE('2005/02/22','YYYY/MM/DD') BETWEEN pap.effective_start_date AND pap.effective_end_date AND TO_DATE('2005/02/22','YYYY/MM/DD') BETWEEN paaf.effective_start_date AND paaf.effective_end_date AND TO_DATE('2005/02/22','YYYY/MM/DD') BETWEEN papr.effective_start_date AND papr.effective_end_date AND TO_DATE('2005/02/22','YYYY/MM/DD') BETWEEN pbff.effective_start_date AND pbff.effective_end_date AND paaf.assignment_type = 'E' AND paaf.primary_flag = 'Y' AND paaf.payroll_id = papr.payroll_id AND ppa.action_status = 'C' AND ppa.action_type = 'R' AND ppa.payroll_action_id = paa.payroll_action_id AND paaf.assignment_id = paa.assignment_id AND paa.action_status = 'C' AND paa.assignment_action_id = prr.assignment_action_id AND prr.status = 'P' AND pbd.balance_dimension_id = pdb.balance_dimension_id AND pdb.balance_type_id = pbt.balance_type_id AND pbt.balance_type_id = pbff.balance_type_id AND pbff.input_value_id = prrv.input_value_id AND prr.run_result_id = prrv.run_result_id AND papr.payroll_id = ppa.payroll_id AND ppa.effective_date = TO_DATE('2005/02/22','YYYY/MM/DD') AND papr.payroll_name = '???^?QPTEST?QB' Kind Regards, Prem. On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 Mark Richard wrote : >I guess it's difficult to say confidently without seeing the SQL. >The plan >shows the table it is cartesian joining on, so it should be quick to >confirm / deny. Gut feeling would be that you are correct though. A >single cartesian can be so dramatic that it's not worth looking >elsewhere >until that issue in investigated and resolved if a problem is found >in the >statement compared to desired results. -- //www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l