OK. In SQL 2005, you can actually include the OUTPUT keyword into an INSERT statement.

Here's an example that creates a table variable with an identity column, inserts a new row, and outputs the value of the identity column as a result set.

You can also use the scope_identity that I mentioned before, or you can use this.

DECLARE @tTestTable TABLE ( MyIdentityCol int IDENTITY, Name char(100))

 
INSERT INTO @tTestTable 
	OUTPUT Inserted.MyIdentityCol    
               VALUES ('KEVIN')   

Note the reference to 'inserted'....this, along with 'deleted' were two system tables previously available only in insert/update triggers. They're now accessible during an insert/update statement/delete statement.

Not trying to overload you, but figured it might be worth knowing down the road.

Kevin