You are right, it is better this way, but it doesn't change results-
still one record did not get deleted.
Any other ideas?

> Neither. The search field should be qualified:
>
> delete from SY_REPORT_WRITER_REPORTS t1
> where t1.NBR in
> (select t2.NBR from SY_REPORT_WRITER_REPORTS t2
> where t2.ACTIVE_RECORD='N')
>