I have 3 tables in the Excel workbook that I access with SQL.  

There is Inscriptions table that holds the `AGENT_ID` and `MLS_ID`, `PHOTOS` table that holds all the photos that came in recent feed for `MLS_ID`, and `PHOTOS_CURRENT` that holds all the photos that are currently in the system for `MLS_ID`.  

The goal is to find if there are photos in the new feed that are not in the system currently.

I tried to query using `NOT EXISTS` and `NOT IN` approach. Both take too long to run (sometimes 2 minutes per `AGENT_ID`).

`NOT EXISTS` approach:

```vb
sqlQuery = "SELECT DISTINCT INSCR.MLS_ID FROM [INSCRIPTIONS_CURRENT$] INSCR, [PHOTOS$] P1 " & _
                "WHERE INSCR.AGENT_ID = " & inpAgentId & _
                " AND INSCR.MLS_ID = P1.MLS_ID AND NOT exists (select 1 from [PHOTOS_CURRENT$] PC1 where PC1.MLS_ID = P1.MLS_ID and PC1.PHOTO_ID = P1.PHOTO_ID)"

```

`NOT IN` approach:

```vb
sqlQuery = "SELECT DISTINCT INSCR.MLS_ID FROM [INSCRIPTIONS_CURRENT$] INSCR, [PHOTOS$] P1 " & _
                "WHERE INSCR.AGENT_ID = " & inpAgentId & _
                " AND INSCR.MLS_ID = P1.MLS_ID AND INSCR.MLS_ID NOT IN (select MLS_ID from [PHOTOS_CURRENT$] PC1 where PC1.MLS_ID = P1.MLS_ID and PC1.PHOTO_ID = P1.PHOTO_ID)"

```

DB connection is done as follows:

```vb
Sub Connect()

    Set objConnection = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
    objConnection.CommandTimeout = 120

End Sub

```

The query is sent to the procedure for processing as follows:

```vb
Function select_query(sqlQuery As String) As ADODB.Recordset

    Dim objRecordset As ADODB.Recordset

    Const adOpenStatic = 3
    Const adLockOptimistic = 3
    Const adCmdText = &H1

    Set objRecordset = CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")

    objConnection.Open "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;" & _
    "Data Source=" & ThisWorkbook.FullName & _
    ";Extended Properties=""Excel 8.0;HDR=Yes;IMEX=1"";"

    objRecordset.Open sqlQuery, objConnection, adOpenStatic, adLockOptimistic, 
    adCmdText

    Set select_query = objRecordset

End Function

```

Any suggestions to improve the performance?