Yes - That is the answer - introducing the \ makes it work  .  Thanks

'\' + currsymb + '#,##0 ;[RED](' + '\' + currsymb + '#,##0); '  is producing the correct results.

What is the datatype? If it is a whole number, that might explain the missing zeros.

Actually I spoke too soon - while #,##0 ;[RED](#,##0);    produces a number 950,000 the expression

currsymb + '#,##0 ;[RED](' + currsymb + '#,##0); ' produces €9,500    

Is this a bug in the expression engine?

OK - I figured out what I was doing wrong - something stupid - putting the expression in the format cell and not in the supporting expression statement.

This works...

currsymb + '#,##0 ;[RED](' + currsymb + '#,##0); '

Posting this as an answer because replies seem to get hidden and not responded to in this community format.

I tried using an expression, but the only thing I could do that seem to work was an If statement condition.  I tried constructing the format string by appending values cursymb + "#,###"- but all that did was return the expression text and not the value formatted.  So I might be doing something wrong but I cant find an example that doesnt require an if on specific values which is not useful - so please if you know the format that works - please illustrate.

The Format property allows for an expression. Set an expression that uses the currency type column to return the proper format. If you have a currency table in your database, you could add a format column and bring it into the resultset. The expression could just point to the format column. Doing it that way would allow you to adjust the format without changing any code.