I would use SQLEXEC parameters or TEXTMERGE

ln_next = ln_last + 1
myresult = SQLEXEC(1,'Insert INTO phone (phon_phoneid, phon_personid, phon_type)' + ;
  ' VALUES (?ln_next, ?ln_1, ?lc_bus' )
*
lcSql = ""
TEXT TO lcSql TEXTMERGE NOSHOW
Insert INTO phone (phon_phoneid, phon_personid, phon_type) 
	VALUES ( <<TRANSFORM(ln_last + 1)>>, <<TRANSFORM(ln_1)>>, '<<lc_bus>>')
ENDTEXT	
myresult = SQLEXEC(1, lcSql)

>Hi everyone...
>
>This works where ln_last and ln_1 are numeric values in variables.
>
> myresult = SQLEXEC(1,'Insert INTO phone (phon_phoneid, phon_personid) VALUES ('
+ STR(ln_last + 1) + ;
> ', '+ STR(ln_1) + ')')
>
>
>Then I try and add a character variable into a character field and get a syntax error:
>
> myresult = SQLEXEC(1,'Insert INTO phone (phon_phoneid, phon_personid, , phon_type)
VALUES (' + STR(ln_last + 1) + ;
> ', '+ STR(ln_1) + ', '+ lc_bus + ')')
>
>This doesn't work.
>
>
>Do you know how to format this correctly to get the variable value going through?
>
>Thanks
>
>Ric