title: SQL Query to get oldest date
body: <p>I'm new to SQL and have a large database that contains IDs and Service Dates and I need to write a query to give me the first date each ID had a service. </p>
  
  <p>I tried:</p>
  
  <pre><code>SELECT dbo.table.ID, dbo.otherTable.ServiceDate AS EasliestDate
  FROM dbo.table INNER JOIN dbo.table.ID = dbo.otherTable.ID
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But the output is every service for every ID, which has too many results to sort through. I want the output to only show the ID and the oldest service date. Any advice is appreciated.</p>
  
  <p>EDIT: To be more precise, the output I am looking for is the ID and service date if the oldest service date is during the year that I specify. I.E. if  ID = 1 has a service in 2015 and 2016 and I am searching for IDs in 2016 then ID = 1 should not appear in the results because there was an earlier service in 2015.</p>
  
  <p>EDIT: Thanks everyone who helped with this! The answer I accepted did exactly what I asked. Major kudos to Patty though who who elaborated on how to further filter the outcome by year.</p>