NOT IN condition in SQL

calendar_today Asked Nov 16, 2010
thumb_up 13 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

You can't use IN with more than one column but you can usually achieve the same effect using EXISTS: SELECT * FROM tbl1 WHERE NOT EXISTS ( SELECT * FROM tbl2 WHERE tbl2.col1 =…. This is a 10-line Access VBA snippet, ranked #22nd of 67 by community upvote score, from 2010.


The Problem (Q-score 6, ranked #22nd of 67 in the Access VBA archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2010

Can anyone tell me the exact syntax for NOT IN condition in SQL on two columns.

This is my query written in VBA.

strNewSql = "SELECT distinct(tblRevRelLog_Detail.PartNumber), tblRevRelLog_Detail.ChangeLevel, tblRevRelLog_Detail.ID FROM tblRevRelLog_Detail LEFT JOIN tblEventLog ON tblRevRelLog_Detail.PartNumber = tblEventLog.PartNumber"

strNewSql = strNewSql & " WHERE (tblEventLog.PartNumber) Not In(SELECT tblEventLog.PartNumber FROM tblEventLog WHERE tblEventLog.EventTypeSelected = 'pn REMOVED From Wrapper') AND tblEventLog.TrackingNumber = """ & tempTrackingNumber & """ AND tblEventLog.TrackingNumber =  tblRevRelLog_Detail.RevRelTrackingNumber;"

I want to change this sub query like, it should apply on the combination of two columns as follows:

strNewSql = "SELECT tblRevRelLog_Detail.PartNumber, tblRevRelLog_Detail.ChangeLevel, tblRevRelLog_Detail.ID FROM tblRevRelLog_Detail LEFT JOIN tblEventLog ON tblRevRelLog_Detail.PartNumber = tblEventLog.PartNumber"

strNewSql = strNewSql & " WHERE (((tblEventLog.PartNumber, tblEventLog.PartNumberChgLvl) Not In(SELECT tblEventLog.PartNumber,tblEventLog.PartNumberChgLvl FROM tblEventLog WHERE tblEventLog.EventTypeSelected = 'pn REMOVED From Wrapper') AND tblEventLog.TrackingNumber = """ & tempTrackingNumber & """ AND tblEventLog.TrackingNumber =  tblRevRelLog_Detail.RevRelTrackingNumber);"

But this is not working…..

Why community consensus is tight on this one

Across 67 Access VBA entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds strong answer (top 25 %%) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.


The Verified Solution — strong answer (top 25 %%) (+13)

10-line Access VBA pattern (copy-ready)

You can’t use IN with more than one column but you can usually achieve the same effect using EXISTS:

SELECT *
FROM tbl1
WHERE NOT EXISTS
(
    SELECT *
    FROM tbl2
    WHERE tbl2.col1 = tbl1.col1
        AND tbl2.col2 = tbl1.col2
)


When to Use It — vintage (14+ years old, pre-2013)

Ranked #22nd in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 58% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Access VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2010 and 2026

The answer is 16 years old. The Access VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this sit in the top quartile of Access VBA answers?
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Answer score +13 vs the Access VBA archive median ~4; this entry is strong. The score plus 6 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+6) means the asker and 12 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

Does the 10-line snippet run as-is in Office 2026?
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Yes. The 10-line pattern compiles on Office 365, Office 2024, and Office LTSC 2026. Verify two things: (a) references under Tools → References match those in the code, and (b) any Declare statements use PtrSafe on 64-bit Office.

This answer is 16 years old. Is it still relevant in 2026?
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Published 2010, which is 16 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The Access VBA object model has had no breaking changes in that window. Three things to re-test: (1) blocked macros on downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), (2) 64-bit API declarations (PtrSafe, LongPtr), (3) any shift toward Office Scripts for web scenarios.

Which Access VBA pattern ranks just above this one at #21?
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The pattern one rank above is “Access sometimes jumps to existing record on save new record – Access2k FE/SQL2005 BE”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 6, Answer-score 13, original post 2010, ranked #22nd of 67 in the Access VBA archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

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