LOCAL ni
				ni = 0
				SCAN			
					INSERT INTO lvw_wlevel (batchID, sp_id, site_id) VALUES ;
							    (batches.id, cGroup, std_wlvl_grps.site_id)
					IF .NOT. TABLEUPDATE( 0, .T., 'lvw_wlevel' )
						ni = ni + 1
						DIMENSION aNoGo[ ni ]
						SELECT lvw_wlevel
						SCATTER NAME aNoGo[ ni ]
						SELECT std_wlvl_grps
					    TABLEREVERT( .F., 'lvw_wlevel' )
					ENDIF
				ENDSCAN

				IF ni > 0 
				*!* Then there were some well levels that failed the table update
					SELECT lvw_wLevel
					FOR EACH nj IN aNoGo
						APPEND BLANK IN lvw_wlevel
						GATHER NAME nj
						IF .NOT. TABLEUPDATE( 0, .T., 'lvw_wlevel' )
							= MESSAGEBOX( 'Unable to add a water level for ' + nj.site_id )
							TABLEREVERT( .F., 'lvw_wlevel' )
						ENDIF
					NEXT nj
				ENDIF
<\pre>

My work around is okay and since it is not doing anything flaky--IMHO--it's okay with me.  It behaves predictably and only tries one additional time to add the record.  If it fails that (and it hasn't so far), then the user is alerted and they can (in the worst case) add it themselves.  :-( I gave up thinking it's a perfect world a few years ago.