>>>>>>>>>I am assuming these 2 statements are functionally equivalent. Am I correct?
>>>>>>>>>Thanks
>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>select * ;
>>>>>>>>>from test_financing ;
>>>>>>>>>inner join tip on test_financing.tip_id = tip.tip_id ;
>>>>>>>>>where between(_year,tipyear,tipyear+4) ;
>>>>>>>>>order by lead, st_name, _year 
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>select * ;
>>>>>>>>>from tip ;
>>>>>>>>>inner join test_financing on test_financing.tip_id = tip.tip_id ;
>>>>>>>>>where between(_year,tipyear,tipyear+4) ;
>>>>>>>>>order by lead, st_name, _year 
>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Yes. You will get the same result from both.
>>>>>>>>But abouth to speed you should check Actual Execution Plan.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>What is AEP?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Run both queries in SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio)
>>>>>>Before you run them just click on "Include Actual Execution Plan" button from the toolbar.
>>>>>
>>>>>Is that a VFP tool or is this some additional software I will have to install?
>>>>
>>>>SQL Server Management Studio is included with SQL Server Standard edition and higher.
>>>
>>>Ahh. . . then I don't have it available.
>>>Thanks
>>
>>Don,
>>In VFP 8 or 9 you could use SYS(3054) to check how your query is executed, but because used database here is SQL Server that is why I suggested to use SSMS :-)
>
>Both tables are from a VFP database. What made you think they were from SQL-Server?

Because you selected SQL Server as the database when you created the message..