>Assuming in my report cursor (for eg sales data), I have codes for the following :-
>1) Salesman Code
>2) Product Code
>3) Customer Code
>4) Location Code
>5) Dept Code
>6) Month
>7) Sales Invoice Number
>8) Sales Invoice Amount
>
>In getting to my final cursor, assuming SQL is used, I would have to join the cursor with 5 master files. Assuming the sales records number a quarter of a million invoices, then joining 5 tables could take a long time....
>Haven't tried that yet but my customer's database contains 400k records just for product codes alone.
>
>Would this be faster using store procedures or query to VFP and index and set relation?

I'd do the whole thing in one long SQL command and bring the final result set in a single SQLExec() call. Depending on the complexity of the join, I may even create temp tables on the server - whatever is faster. But in the end, I'd bring down ONE cursor from the server, which would contain everything I need for printing. Maybe two cursors, one with the sales headers, one with sales items. Then I'd just index the items cursor, set relation from headers into it,and then edit the report to replace aliases where needed.