TABLE users userid FNAME LNAME 1 JOHN DEO 2 JANE DEO TABLE MSG msg_id msg_from msg_to received 1 userid(1) userid(2) null $janedeo_id = 2; $janedeo_id = 2; my $data = $DBH->prepare("SELECT SND.userid, SND.firstname, SND.lastname FROM msg as M JOIN users as SND ON SND.userid = M.msg_from WHERE M.msg_to = ? AND M.received iS NULL"); $data->execute($janedeo_id); $datainfo = $data->fetchall_arrayref(); while (my $row = $data->fetchrow_hashref) { foreach $row ( @$data) { ($userid, $snd_FNAME, $snd_LNAME) = @$data; } } my $templ = <