>why does the insert work without errors but the update doesn't?
>
>the error says that 'alias text2 not found'
>
> update customers set company = thisform.text2.value ;
> where custno = thisform.text1.value
>
>
>
> insert into customers(company) values (thisform.text2.value)

VFP is being confused by the periods in the values thinking that text2 refers to a table and field like TableName.FieldName You might want to put the value in a local variable and use it for the insert.

lFieldValue = thisform.text2.value
insert into customers(company) values (lFieldValue)