I added CASTs to the select statement's LTRIMs so it would prepare
stand-alone. Now the stored procedure can be prepared OK, and it
returns a plan.
However, when I execute the select, I get this error:

"VENDOR_SKU, CAST(LTRIM(UNIT_SIZE)' INTO does not match returned
column type"

I then added CAST to every column where the external table didn't match
the return type of the stored procedure. I now get this error:

"CAST(VENDOR_SKU AS NUMERIC(6,0)), ' INTO does not match returned
column type"

Here's the first part of the stored procedure, you can see the column
types match (all the variables prepended with 'T_' are temporary and
used to change the data before returning it):

CREATE PROCEDURE BERGEN_PRICE_FILE_S_TST returns (
VENDOR_SKU Numeric(6,0),
UNIT_SIZE VarChar(8),
SIZE_CODE Char(2),
STRENGTH_QTY VarChar(4),
STRENGTH_CODE VarChar(6),
ITEM_DESCRIPTION VarChar(13),
CASE_QUANTITY Numeric(9,0),
PURCHASE_UNITS Char(2),
ACQUISITION Numeric(9,2),
NDDF_PKG_SIZE Numeric(18,3),
FINELINE Char(3),
NDC Numeric(11,0),
GENERIC_DESCRIPTION VarChar(25),
GENERIC_NUMBER Char(6),
THERAPEUTIC_CLASS Char(6),
GENERIC_FORM_CODE VarChar(3),
GENERIC_STRENGTH_QUANTITY VarChar(5),
GENERIC_STRENGTH_CODE VarChar(6),
UNIT_DOSE VarChar(2),
FORM_CODE VarChar(3),
CONTRACT_NUMBER VarChar(5),
CONTRACT_START Date,
CONTRACT_EXPIRE Date,
CONTRACT_PRICE Numeric(9,2),
VENDOR_NUMBER Char(5),
VENDOR_NAME VarChar(30),
NDDF_AWP Numeric(9,2),
PACKAGE_SIZE_DIVISOR Numeric(9,3),
SUPERNET_PRICE_INDICATOR Char(1),
AWP Numeric(9,2),
NDC_UPC_FORMAT_CODE Char(1),
RETAIL_PRICE Numeric(9,2),
RECORD_TYPE Char(1))
AS
DECLARE VARIABLE T_CONTRACT_START CHAR(6);
DECLARE VARIABLE T_CONTRACT_EXPIRE CHAR(6);
DECLARE VARIABLE T_ACQUISITION CHAR(7);
DECLARE VARIABLE T_NDDF_PKG_SIZE CHAR(11);
DECLARE VARIABLE T_CONTRACT_PRICE CHAR(7);
DECLARE VARIABLE T_NDDF_AWP CHAR(7);
DECLARE VARIABLE T_PACKAGE_SIZE_DIVISOR CHAR(8);
DECLARE VARIABLE T_AWP CHAR(7);
DECLARE VARIABLE T_RETAIL_PRICE CHAR(7);
BEGIN
FOR EXECUTE STATEMENT 'SELECT
CAST(VENDOR_SKU AS NUMERIC(6,0)),
CAST(LTRIM(UNIT_SIZE) AS VARCHAR(8)),
SIZE_CODE,
CAST(LTRIM(STRENGTH_QTY) AS VARCHAR(4)),
CAST(STRENGTH_CODE AS VARCHAR(6)),
CAST(ITEM_DESCRIPTION AS VARCHAR(13)),
CAST(CASE_QUANTITY AS NUMERIC(9,0)),
PURCHASE_UNITS,
ACQUISITION,
NDDF_PKG_SIZE,
FINELINE,
CAST(NDC AS NUMERIC(11,0)),
CAST(GENERIC_DESCRIPTION AS VARCHAR(25)),
GENERIC_NUMBER,
THERAPEUTIC_CLASS,
CAST(GENERIC_FORM_CODE AS VARCHAR(3)),
CAST(LTRIM(GENERIC_STRENGTH_QUANTITY) AS VARCHAR(5)),
CAST(GENERIC_STRENGTH_CODE AS VARCHAR(6)),
CAST(UNIT_DOSE AS VARCHAR(2)),
CAST(FORM_CODE AS VARCHAR(3)),
CAST(CONTRACT_NUMBER AS VARCHAR(5)),
CONTRACT_START,
CONTRACT_EXPIRE,
CONTRACT_PRICE,
VENDOR_NUMBER,
CAST(VENDOR_NAME AS VARCHAR(30)),
NDDF_AWP,
PACKAGE_SIZE_DIVISOR,
SUPERNET_PRICE_INDICATOR,
AWP,
NDC_UPC_FORMAT_CODE,
RETAIL_PRICE,
SUBSTRING(CAST(LTRIM(RECORD_TYPE) AS VARCHAR(3)) FROM 1 FOR 1)
FROM BERGEN_PRICE_FILE'
INTO
:VENDOR_SKU,
:UNIT_SIZE,
:SIZE_CODE,
:STRENGTH_QTY,
:STRENGTH_CODE,
:ITEM_DESCRIPTION,
:CASE_QUANTITY,
:PURCHASE_UNITS,
:T_ACQUISITION,
:T_NDDF_PKG_SIZE,
:FINELINE,
:NDC,
:GENERIC_DESCRIPTION,
:GENERIC_NUMBER,
:THERAPEUTIC_CLASS,
:GENERIC_FORM_CODE,
:GENERIC_STRENGTH_QUANTITY,
:GENERIC_STRENGTH_CODE,
:UNIT_DOSE,
:FORM_CODE,
:CONTRACT_NUMBER,
:T_CONTRACT_START,
:T_CONTRACT_EXPIRE,
:T_CONTRACT_PRICE,
:VENDOR_NUMBER,
:VENDOR_NAME,
:T_NDDF_AWP,
:T_PACKAGE_SIZE_DIVISOR,
:SUPERNET_PRICE_INDICATOR,
:T_AWP,
:NDC_UPC_FORMAT_CODE,
:T_RETAIL_PRICE,
:RECORD_TYPE
DO BEGIN

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