Not if it helps solve your problem..........

post your table structures (DDL), create statements (for sample input data), sample expected results and maybe even your current SP...edited out for identifying(confidential/tradesecret) remarks would be a start.....

If this is a one off....because you are querying a database that has 'been upgraded'....then copying/amending the SP is fine.

However......if this is a requirement because 'time has moved on and...

You do know of course....that using cursors is one fast way to ensure your "financial controller" get's least value out of his/her spend on the SQL Server.

95% of things that...

couple of things to add to the pot for you.

1. what will be done with the national database over and above the cities versions will be key to what needs...

"All the left joins will kill you because you have to hit EVERY single row in these tables, i.e. table scans."

Left joins do not automatically imply table-scans....if proper (and uptodate...

Have a look at the following site....he's an author I respect for sound and sensible advice.

http://www.nigelrivett.net/

in particular the information @

http://www.nigelrivett.net/SQLServerReleaseControl.htm

"We have a very open system here. All 3(me included) developers login as 'sa' and implement changes in production. We do not have a dba so we do that part of the...

Remember encryption doesn't have to be one-way only....and also who's to say that XMHRTYDSDS is just plain text or HELLOWORLD encrypted?  If you had XMHRTYDSDS and it was encrypted...unless somebody knows...

Even better....STAY AWAY from cursors....good performance and cursors rarely go in the same statement.

99.99% of database actions can be done without cursors.

Cursors really are only needed when a calculation on...

One solution is to change this requirement...which is a wise one, except in this very limited circumstance.  As the saying goes, "Hard Cases make Bad Law".  This is a hard-case....and...

Thanks for the reply Tim.

Only issue I can see is if the 'readpast' ends up skipping 'all records' with nothing getting updated.  You may wish to put in a check...

Your original requirement stated "A salespoint will request a number from this table."....However you seem to be implementing this as "A salespoint will request THE LOWEST AVAILABLE number from this...

Would the following be a simpler/faster way for the 1st update.  The style of solution could be repeated for the 2nd update also.

Basically you only want 1 row to be...

Go back to basic debugging principles.....Put in some PRINT statements before the INSERT statement to check what you think is being replaced and what you think it is being replaced...