• Test your query against representative data volumes. Does it perform acceptably? If so, don't waste your time trying to fix something which isn't a problem.

    If it doesn't perform acceptably, then identify the actual problem (which may or may not be related to the key lookup) and make the appropriate fixes.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass