Cobol: Comparing what's in a variable to text?

I'm attempting to do some data validation and am trying to use an if statement to see if what is in the variable ERROR-FLAG and RECORD-CODE is "NO" and "VC". Example below..

       MOVE "NO"                   TO ERROR-FLAG.
       MOVE "NO"                   TO ERROR-FLAG2.
       IF VEND-NUM = SPACES
           MOVE "YES"              TO ERROR-FLAG
           MOVE "********" TO BC-AST-OUT
           MOVE "B"  TO B-ERROR-OUT
       END-IF.
       IF VEND-NUM IS NOT NUMERIC AND ERROR-FLAG IS NOO
           MOVE "YES"              TO ERROR-FLAG
           MOVE "********" TO BC-AST-OUT
           MOVE "C"  TO C-ERROR-OUT
       END-IF.
       IF RECORD-CODE IS NOT VC
           MOVE "YES"              TO ERROR-FLAG
           MOVE "**" TO A-AST-OUT
           MOVE "A"  TO A-ERROR-OUT

       END-IF.

NOO AND VC are defined in the working storage as "NO" and "VC" respectively. I can't seem to figure this out, any and all help is much appreciated!