ok here is real db the first query I had seems to make no sense because it is only fast if I limit the rows since almost all rows have status = 'AC' second query tables both have about 10 million rows and it takes a long time as you can see but this person only has approx 160 total documents QUERY PLAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hash Join (cost=84813.14..1510711.97 rows=48387 width=555) (actual time=83266.854..91166.315 rows=3 loops=1) Hash Cond: ("outer".documentidentifier = "inner".dssdocumentidentifier) -> Seq Scan on documentversions (cost=0.00..269141.98 rows=9677398 width=415) (actual time=0.056..49812.459 rows=9677398 loops=1) -> Hash (cost=83660.05..83660.05 rows=48036 width=140) (actual time=10.833..10.833 rows=3 loops=1) -> Bitmap Heap Scan on clinicaldocuments (cost=301.13..83660.05 rows=48036 width=140) (actual time=0.243..0.258 rows=3 loops=1) Recheck Cond: (patientidentifier = 690193) -> Bitmap Index Scan on ix_cdocpid (cost=0.00..301.13 rows=48036 width=0) (actual time=0.201..0.201 rows=3 loops=1) Index Cond: (patientidentifier = 690193) Total runtime: 91166.540 ms Tim Jones Healthcare Project Manager Optio Software, Inc. (770) 576-3555 -----Original Message----- From: Tom Lane [mailto:tgl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Friday, February 10, 2006 5:52 PM To: Tim Jones Cc: Scott Marlowe; Dave Dutcher; pgsql-performance@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: [PERFORM] joining two tables slow due to sequential scan "Tim Jones" <TJones@xxxxxxxxx> writes: > QUERY PLAN > 'Hash Join (cost=899.83..4384.17 rows=482 width=1350) (actual > time=0.203..0.203 rows=0 loops=1)' > ... > 'Total runtime: 0.392 ms' Hardly seems like evidence of a performance problem ... regards, tom lane