Consider the following code: SET @SQL1 = 'SELECT * INTO #temp WHERE ...' exec(@SQL1) SELECT * from #temp (this line throws an error that #temp doesn't exist) Apparently this is because the exec command spins off a separate session and #temp is local to that session. I can use a global temporary table ##temp, but then I have to come up with a naming scheme to avoid collisions. What do you all recommend?