>>>>>So, I recommend to lean towards stored procedures for complex logic and not try to abuse functions (although, of course, they do have their place).
>>>>
>>>>so are you saying the code I wrote would work in an SP?
>>>
>>>I haven't studied your code in details, but generally, yes.
>>
>>:)
>>
>>I hope that someone can look at my code, because I'm stuck
>>
>>

CREATE PROCEDURE GetClaimStatus 
>>	-- Add the parameters for the stored procedure here
>>	@Clm_PK UNIQUEIDENTIFIER,
>>	@Status INT OUTPUT
>>AS
>>BEGIN
>>	-- SET NOCOUNT ON added to prevent extra result sets from
>>	-- interfering with SELECT statements.
>>	SET NOCOUNT ON;
>>
>>    -- Insert statements for procedure here
>>	DECLARE @DayLimit INT
>>	DECLARE @Cli_PK UNIQUEIDENTIFIER
>>	
>>	SET @Status = 1 /* Pending */
>>	SET @Cli_PK = (SELECT clm_clifk FROM Claims WHERE clm_pk = @Cli_PK)
>>	
>>	SET @DayLimit = (SELECT com_OverDueDays 
>>					FROM Companies 
>>						INNER JOIN Clients ON com_pk = cli_comfk
>>							WHERE cli_comfk = @Cli_PK)
>>
>>/* I don't know how to implement the logic:						
>>1. If any Claim Items are Overdue, then Claim is Overdue
>>2. Else If all Claim Items are Settled, then Claim is Settled
>>3. Otherwise Status is Pending */
>>			
>>    RETURN @Status 
>>END
>>GO

>
>Post your create table statements and insert statements.
>
>But basically, it's something like
>

>select @Status = case when exists (select 1 from ClaimItems where ClaimID = @Clm_PK 
>and ClaimDate > dateadd(day, -1*@DayLimit, CURRENT_TIMESTAMP) 
>                                        then 'Overdue' 
>                          when exists (select 1 from ClaimItems where ClaimID = @Clm_PK and Status <> 'Settled') 
>                                     then 'Pending' 
>                          ELSE 'Settled' END
>

thanks, that should get me going again