declare @list varchar(max) declare @pos int declare @len int declare @value varchar(max) set @list = 'a1a1a1,b2b2b2b,c3c3c3c,d4d4d4d4,' set @pos = 0 set @len = 0 WHILE CHARINDEX(',', @list, @pos+1)>0 BEGIN set @len = CHARINDEX(',', @list, @pos+1) - @pos set @value = SUBSTRING(@list, @pos, @len) print @value --Your query set @pos = CHARINDEX(',', @list, @pos+@len) +1 END