>>>This works:
>>>
>>>lc_xls = "C:\myfile.xls"
>>>lc_fileldlist = "invno, invdte, invamt"
>>>COPY TO (lc_xls) FIELDS &lc_fieldlist TYPE xl5
>>>
>>>This gives a syntax error:
>>>lc_xls = "C:\myfile.xls"
>>>lc_fileldlist = "invno, invdte, invamt"
>>>COPY TO (lc_xls) FIELDS (lc_fieldlist) TYPE xl5
>>>
>>>Why?
>>
>>lc_fileldlist vs lc_Fieldlist ?
>
>&lc_fieldlist vs (Lc_fieldlist)
>
>& is a macro command and does an immediate replacement whereas () returns a "value", iirc, and "invno, invdte, invamt" is not a value

The two variables are not spelled the same way in your original message.