If update query has multiple record options to choose from, which one will it select?

[tdob12]

I have a database with two tables.

On an update query, Table 1 pulls in information from Table 2 with a link on "Ticket #" column.

However, Table 2 may contain multiple records with the same ticket number.

Table 2 is sorted by a timestamp column (descending), so that the newest records are on top.

From what record will the update query pull from Table 2 into Table 1, the newest or the oldest?

[andy49]

Not sure but why not use a grouped subquery to pick the newest values if that's what you always want

[Bulzie]

Do you have to update Table1 with Table2 data? Why not just link in a Select query and display the data from the query instead of from Table1?

[June7]

Maybe random. Not sure the sort order will have any bearing on which value is pulled. I have never explored this and always designed to avoid this situation. But try it and find out.

However, why do this to begin with? Saving calculated data is usually unnecessary and pulling the Max date is a calculation. This maximum date value can always be pulled with a query. No reason to save it into another table.


Advise no spaces or punctuation/special characters (underscore only exception) in naming.

[tdob12]

Ok here is a select query off of Table 2. Ticket Number and Date Added should be all set. For "Total" under "Owner", what should I put so that the Owner comes from the same record as the latest (max) Date Added

Or should I be going about this a different way?

[June7]

That query cannot be relied on to return the owner associated with max date. If you want the max date and associated owner for each ticket, a TOP N nested subquery is one approach. Review http://allenbrowne.com/subquery-01.html#TopN

[Bulzie]

Can you post some raw data from Table 1 and Table 2 so we can see how the data is stored.