I may be missing something on this but the solution seems unnecessarily complex. I generally use the SELECT / INTO method to allow the proc to automatically create the #temptable from the result of the SELECT (plus any joins involved). Then in the following statements I can update/delete/etc. various records as needed, finally returning the results to the calling program or wrtiting them to a fixed table. I've only come across one or two instances where it was necessary to define the #temptable first, generally when I need an IDENTITY field. Your thoughts?

John Masciantoni, Florida Health Care Plans, Florida.