BEGIN TRAN -- if EMAIL format change sporadically you can use a @DEQUEUED table SELECT TOP 10 * INTO #DEQUEUED FROM EMAIL WITH (READPAST,XLOCK) WHERE STATUS='OP' UPDATE EMAIL SET STATUS='SE' WHERE EMAILPRIMARYKEY IN ( SELECT EMAILPRIMARYKEY FROM #DEQUEUED ) SELECT * FROM #DEQUEUED DROP TABLE #DEQUEUED COMMITFabio