Ok..I got your point Sean and Steve...Thanks for that.

I just checked the encryption from one of my co-worker, under her login name and password , but on the same server.

she has the same view as I have, I mean clear text column(Account Number) and Encrypted coulmn(EncryptedAccountNumber)...

I found my certificate and symmetric key under the "Security-> Certificate" folder and "Security-> Symmetric Key" folder respectively.

So , as you are saying that I should not provide the key to other user, whom I don't want to see that clear text column..How I can do that.?

The reson why I am asking this is that, it is there on the server and who ever logs on into that server have the certificate and symmetric key under the folder which I have metioned above.

Is it possible that I save them somewhere else , out of the server?

and YES , YOU BOTH ARE RIGHT, THAT I CAN DELETE THE COLUMN WITH CLEAR TEXT AS I HAVE NOW ENCRYPTED TEXT, BUT IT IS GOOD PRACTICE TO DO THAT..BECAUSE I HAVE 40+ TABLES....PLEASE LET ME KNOW SO THAT I CAN START FOLLOWING THIS OPTION..

THANKS TO BOTH OFF YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT.

REALLY..