I have a query which is returning a sum, so naturally it returns one row. I need to count the number of records in the DB which made that sum. Here's a sample of the type of query I am talking about (MySQL): SELECT i.id, i.vendor_quote_id, i.product_id_requested, SUM(i.quantity_on_hand) AS qty, COUNT(i.quantity_on_hand) AS count FROM vendor_quote_item AS i JOIN vendor_quote_container AS c ON i.vendor_quote_id = c.id LEFT JOIN company_types ON company_types.company_id = c.company_id WHERE company_types.company_type = 'f' AND i.product_id_requested = 12345678 I have found and am now using the select_min(), select_max(), and select_sum() functions, but my COUNT() is still hard-coded in. The main problem is that I am having to specify the table name in a tightly coupled manner with something like $this->$db->select( 'COUNT(myDbPrefix_vendor_quote_item.quantity_on_hand) AS count' ) which kills portability and makes switching environments a PIA. How can/should I get my the count values I am after with CI in an uncoupled way??