Dear colleagues, I tried to create a code field as a composition of odred number and a name. My intent was to use onlu 4 or 6 first characters from the name. (This is simple in excel) However I was not successful. QES: physician: idnum: ##### code .. CHK code=string(idnum)+physician I need somethind like: code = physician[1,4]+code This was possible in Epiinfo v.6 Thank for anticipated help Vladimir