bcquality/microsoft/knowledge/performance/temporary-tables-have-no-database-cost.md
Jesper Schulz-Wedde 3f0b6a41db Correct performance knowledge guidance
Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot-Session: 667c64a8-eb36-4440-bc41-6a97d8fb5542
2026-07-14 11:18:52 +02:00

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---
bc-version: [all]
domain: performance
keywords: [temporary-table, in-memory, findset, findfirst, get, no-db-cost]
technologies: [al]
countries: [w1]
application-area: [all]
---
# Temporary tables avoid SQL I/O, not in-memory work
## Description
A temporary table stores its rows in Business Central Server memory instead of a physical SQL table. Its reads and writes therefore do not incur SQL round-trips, locking, or SIFT maintenance. They still allocate memory and execute record filtering, key lookup, sorting, insertion, and iteration in the service tier; those costs grow with the temporary dataset and access pattern.
## Best Practice
Do not apply SQL-specific findings such as missing `SetLoadFields`, lock contention, or N+1 database round-trips to a temporary record. Still assess memory volume and repeated scans or lookups. For a pure key-to-value collection, consider an AL `Dictionary`; keep a temporary table when record fields, keys, filtering, or ordered iteration are required.
## Anti Pattern
Claiming that every temporary-table access pattern is free because no SQL is involved. A nested scan over a large in-memory buffer can still dominate service-tier CPU, while adding `SetLoadFields` to that buffer addresses a database cost that does not exist.