First of all ... thanks you everyone for your replies.

I think that maybe I didn't explain the problem properly since the answers seem to be about moving a database step-by-step...

Thanks to all who replied to this. Only had a chance to come back now to provide a final, closing post.

The problem was solved by the follow CTE:

DECLARE @ManagerID int;...

Jeff (and any others who may have been having a think about this)

Thanks for your input.

After more exhaustive testing of the devlopers code, a loop was found for a specific...

Well Jack David .... I must be psychic ... or at least psycho.

Glad I'm not impinging on your quality family time ...

Thanks so much for the advice ... I have...

Jack

THere is no David ... my apologies ... it's Saturday here (what am I doing at work !?!?)

My brain is a bit slow ...

Thanks for the advice ......

David, thanks. This is great.:)

It had crossed my mind, but then I started thinking about other situations in which I might want a field value conditionally defaulted.

In the past...