Use to_date function with between ... and
SQL> CREATE TABLE sales( 2 product_id NUMBER(6), 3 cid NUMBER, 4 time_id DATE, 5 channel_id CHAR(1), 6 promo_id NUMBER(6), 7 sold NUMBER(3), 8 amount NUMBER(10,2), 9 cost NUMBER(10,2) 10 ); Table created. SQL> SQL> select sum(amount) 2 from sales 3 where time_id between to_date('2006-02-01', 'YYYY-MM-DD') and to_date('2006-02-28', 'YYYY-MM-DD'); SUM(AMOUNT) ----------- 1 row selected. SQL> SQL> drop table sales; Table dropped.