If you don't show your execution plan or other statistics is very difficult to get an idea of your problem. Basically upper(sepr) should be indexed as a function index or hopkinsepr as an index. I think without indexes upper(sepr) implies a small overhead because it have to upper a string, and without indexes both will have to do a full scan. If you don't know how to get an execution plan my paper could help you http://www.geocities.com/juancarlosreyesp/101basictunningonOracle9i.pdf Juan Carlos Reyes Pacheco OCP Database 9.2 Standard Edition ---------------------------------------------------------------- Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe send email to: oracle-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put 'unsubscribe' in the subject line. -- Archives are at //www.freelists.org/archives/oracle-l/ FAQ is at //www.freelists.org/help/fom-serve/cache/1.html -----------------------------------------------------------------