Hi Vsarkiss,
Thanks again.
I know the $ordercode is a number because I am typing it in at the prompt.

Here is what DBI trace reveals:

C:\testing_area\adpay>dbitest.pl
    DBI 1.48-ithread default trace level set to 0x0/3 (pid 2400)
    -> DBI->connect(dbi:ODBC:Advisor Reports, advisor, ****, HASH(0x2252f0))
    -> DBI->install_driver(ODBC) for MSWin32 perl=5.008007 pid=2400 ruid=0 euid=0
       install_driver: DBD::ODBC version 1.13 loaded from C:/Perl/site/lib/DBD/ODBC.pm
    New DBI::dr (for DBD::ODBC::dr, parent=, id=)
    dbih_setup_handle(DBI::dr=HASH(0x192a24c)=>DBI::dr=HASH(0x19abd4c), DBD::ODBC::dr, 0, Null!)
    dbih_make_com(Null!, 0, DBD::ODBC::dr, 92, 0) thr#2243f4
    <- install_driver= DBI::dr=HASH(0x192a24c)
    -> connect for DBD::ODBC::dr (DBI::dr=HASH(0x192a24c)~0x19abd4c 'Advisor Reports' 'advisor' **** HASH(0x19ac04c)) thr#2243f4
    New DBI::db (for DBD::ODBC::db, parent=DBI::dr=HASH(0x19abd4c), id=)
    dbih_setup_handle(DBI::db=HASH(0x19abd10)=>DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040), DBD::ODBC::db, 1929fa0, Null!)
    dbih_make_com(DBI::dr=HASH(0x19abd4c), 19ad40c, DBD::ODBC::db, 224, 0) thr#2243f4
SQLConnect 'Advisor Reports', 'advisor'
       SQLGetFunctions - SQL_MoreResults supported: 1
    <- connect= DBI::db=HASH(0x19abd10) at DBI.pm line 598
    -> STORE for DBD::ODBC::db (DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040)~INNER 'RaiseError' 1) thr#2243f4
DBD::ODBC unsupported attribute passed (RaiseError)
    STORE DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040) 'RaiseError' => 1
    <- STORE= 1 at DBI.pm line 645
    -> STORE for DBD::ODBC::db (DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040)~INNER 'PrintError' 1) thr#2243f4
DBD::ODBC unsupported attribute passed (PrintError)
    STORE DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040) 'PrintError' => 1
    <- STORE= 1 at DBI.pm line 645
    -> STORE for DBD::ODBC::db (DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040)~INNER 'AutoCommit' 1) thr#2243f4
    <- STORE= 1 at DBI.pm line 645
    -> STORE for DBD::ODBC::db (DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040)~INNER 'Username' 'advisor') thr#2243f4
DBD::ODBC unsupported attribute passed (Username)
    STORE DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040) 'Username' => 'advisor'
    <- STORE= 1 at DBI.pm line 648 via C:\testing_area\adpay\dbitest.pl line 9
    <> FETCH= 'advisor' ('Username' from cache) at DBI.pm line 648
    <- connect= DBI::db=HASH(0x19abd10)
    -> STORE for DBD::ODBC::db (DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040)~INNER 'dbi_connect_closure' CODE(0x19abc5c)) thr#2243f4
DBD::ODBC unsupported attribute passed (dbi_connect_closure)
    STORE DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040) 'dbi_connect_closure' => CODE(0x19abc5c)
    <- STORE= 1 at DBI.pm line 668 via C:\testing_area\adpay\dbitest.pl line 9
    -> prepare for DBD::ODBC::db (DBI::db=HASH(0x19abd10)~0x19ac040 'SELECT customercode FROM customerorders WHERE ordercode = ?') thr#2243f4
    New DBI::st (for DBD::ODBC::st, parent=DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040), id=)
    dbih_setup_handle(DBI::st=HASH(0x19ac100)=>DBI::st=HASH(0x2253b0), DBD::ODBC::st, 19ac10c, Null!)
    dbih_make_com(DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040), 19adec4, DBD::ODBC::st, 212, 0) thr#2243f4
    dbd_preparse scanned 1 distinct placeholders
    SQLPrepare returned 0

    dbd_st_prepare'd sql f28450464, ExecDirect=0
        SELECT customercode FROM customerorders WHERE ordercode = ?
    <- prepare= DBI::st=HASH(0x19ac100) at dbitest.pl line 10
Enter ordercode>1555336
    -> bind_param for DBD::ODBC::st (DBI::st=HASH(0x19ac100)~0x2253b0 1 '1555336' 'SQL_VARCHAR') thr#2243f4
DBI::st=HASH(0x2253b0)->bind_param(...): attribute parameter 'SQL_VARCHAR' is not a hash ref at C:\testing_area\adpay\dbitest.pl line 17, <> line 1.
    <> DESTROY(DBI::st=HASH(0x19ac100)) ignored for outer handle (inner DBI::st=HASH(0x2253b0) has ref cnt 1)
    -> DESTROY for DBD::ODBC::st (DBI::st=HASH(0x2253b0)~INNER) thr#2243f4
    <- DESTROY= undef
    <> DESTROY(DBI::db=HASH(0x19abd10)) ignored for outer handle (inner DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040) has ref cnt 1)
    -> DESTROY for DBD::ODBC::db (DBI::db=HASH(0x19ac040)~INNER) thr#2243f4
    <- DESTROY= undef
    -- DBI::END
    -> disconnect_all for DBD::ODBC::dr (DBI::dr=HASH(0x192a24c)~0x19abd4c) thr#2243f4
    <- disconnect_all= '' at DBI.pm line 677 via C:\testing_area\adpay\dbitest.pl line 0
!   -> DESTROY in DBD::_::common for DBD::ODBC::dr (DBI::dr=HASH(0x19abd4c)~INNER) thr#2243f4
!   <- DESTROY= undef during global destruction
!   <> DESTROY for DBI::dr=HASH(0x192a24c) ignored (inner handle gone)