>I know that if I used the second syntax with a REPLACE ALL VFP would take three trips through the database, but I'm curious as to whether internally VFP effectively converts the first form to three separate REPLACEs. The record is afterall in memory. The REPLACE statement should not actually generate any I/O until you move off the record right?
>
> ...kt

No. Internally you'll get three lines. The first one will always be faster.