Oh I know the error bit is wrong - thats the next thing I
have to work on.

Thanks in advance.

Joyce

Public Function UpdateCheques()
On Error GoTo UpdateCheques_Err

Dim db As database
Dim rs1, rs2 As DAO.Recordset
Dim NextAvailableCounter As Long

Set db = CurrentDb
Set rs1 = db.OpenRecordset("Temp Cheque List")
Set rs2 = db.OpenRecordset("CounterTable")

'Get the next counter.
NextAvailableCounter = rs2!NextAvailableCounter

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
''''''''
'Open the table and get the current value of
NextAvailableNumber,
'increment the value by 1, and save the value back into
the table
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
''''''''
Do Until rs1.EOF
    rs1.Edit
    rs2.Edit
    rs1!ChequeNo = rs2!NextAvailableCounter
    rs1.Update
    rs2!NextAvailableCounter = NextAvailableCounter + 1
    rs2.Update
    rs1.MoveNext

Loop

rs1.Close
rs2.Close
db.Close

'This is only a temporary error routine cos it was going
into,
'a perpetual loop and I haven't figured out how to write
one ...yet

UpdateCheques_Err:
MsgBox "Error " & Err & ": " & Error$
End

End Function

Maybe this confusion is caused by your use of a variable
with the same name as a field in the table?  A common
convention is to name the variable lngNextAvailableCounter.

--
Marsh
MVP [MS Access]

You didn't dim rs1 as a DAO.Recordset.  
You aren't incrementing nextAvailableCounter

Public Function UpdateCheques()
On Error GoTo UpdateCheques_Err

Dim db As database
Dim rs1 as DAO.Recordset  '<<------------
Dim rs2 As DAO.Recordset
Dim NextAvailableCounter As Long

Set db = CurrentDb
Set rs1 = db.OpenRecordset("Temp Cheque List")
Set rs2 = db.OpenRecordset("CounterTable")

'Get the next counter.
NextAvailableCounter = rs2!NextAvailableCounter

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'Open the table and get the current value of
'NextAvailableNumber,
'increment the value by 1, and save the value back into
'the table
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Do Until rs1.EOF
    rs1.Edit
        rs1!ChequeNo = rs2!NextAvailableCounter
    rs1.Update

    rs2.Edit
        NextAvailableCounter = NextAvailableCounter + 1 '<<-------
        rs2!NextAvailableCounter = NextAvailableCounter '<<-------
    rs2.Update

    rs1.MoveNext
Loop

UpdateCheques_Exit:
  rs1.Close
  rs2.Close
  db.Close
  Exit Function

'This is only a temporary error routine cos it was going
'a perpetual loop and I haven't figured out how to write
one ...yet

UpdateCheques_Err:
   MsgBox "Error " & Err & ": " & Error$
   Resume UpDateCheques_Exit

End Function

Thanks for the feedback.  It is one of the things that encourages us to donate
our time to these groups.

--
Marsh
MVP [MS Access]