Let's create a partitioned table, and partition on date. Let's make it as easy as can be. SQL> CREATE TABLE JUNK1 2 ( 3 column_info_int number NOT NULL, 4 column_info_date date NOT NULL 5 ) 6 PARTITION BY RANGE (column_info_date) 7* PARTITION cid20thcentury VALUES LESS THAN (TO_DATE('2000-01-01', 'YYYY-MM-DD')) Now, let's run it. SQL> / PARTITION cid20thcentury VALUES LESS THAN (TO_DATE('2000-01-01', 'YYYY-MM-DD')) * ERROR at line 7: ORA-00922: missing or invalid option Now, let's test that predicate separately... just to make sure there are no hidden characters or a bad number of parenthesis... SQL> select (TO_DATE('2000-01-01', 'YYYY-MM-DD')) from dual; (TO_DATE( --------- 01-JAN-00 OK... version info... Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.1.0.7.0 - 64bit Production With the Partitioning, Real Application Clusters and Real Application Testing options I see that 922 has been kind of a bugaboo, and there's the range/hash thing, but, I don't see how that applies here. What say the OraWizards? Does the Riddler win the day? Bambi.