ID Generation

Every Record Gets an ID. Automatically.

Form comes in. Record gets INV-2024-0042. Sequential, gapless, formatted exactly how your system expects it. No formula hacks, no race conditions, no missing numbers.

Set Up ID Generation

Sound familiar?

Finance Manager

Your invoice numbers have gaps because Airtable's auto-number doesn't reset yearly. Auditors ask questions every quarter.

Support Lead

Ticket IDs are just Airtable record IDs like 'rec1a2b3c4d'. Customers can't reference them in emails or calls.

Operations Manager

You need IDs in a specific format for your ERP integration. The formula field approach breaks when records are deleted.

What it does

1

Sequential IDs

Auto-incrementing numbers with optional prefix. INV-0001, INV-0002, INV-0003. No gaps, no duplicates.

2

Custom formats

Build ID patterns: {PREFIX}-{YEAR}-{SEQ:4}. Combine static text, dates, and padded sequence numbers.

3

UUID generation

Generate RFC 4122 UUIDs for records that need globally unique identifiers for API integrations.

4

Reset rules

Reset sequence counters yearly, monthly, or per category. INV-2024-0001 resets to INV-2025-0001 on January 1st.

How to set it up

1

Choose the ID format

Select sequential, UUID, or custom format. For sequential, set the prefix, padding, and starting number.

2

Select the destination field

Pick a single-line text field for the generated ID. The field should be empty on new records.

3

Configure reset rules

For sequential IDs: choose when to reset the counter (never, yearly, monthly, or per-category).

4

Enable

Activate the generator. Every form submission gets a unique ID instantly. Run on existing records to fill blanks.

Going deeper

Format options

  • Prefix + padded sequence (INV-0001)
  • Year-based numbering (2024-0001)
  • UUID v4 (globally unique)
  • Custom template with field tokens

Sequence control

  • Custom starting number
  • Yearly or monthly reset
  • Per-category sequences (separate for each type)
  • Gap-free sequential numbering

Safeguards

  • Concurrency-safe (no duplicate IDs)
  • Immutable once set (won't overwrite)
  • Batch assign to existing records
  • Audit log of assigned IDs

Frequently asked questions

Are the IDs truly unique?

Yes. Sequential IDs use atomic counters, so no two records get the same number, even with simultaneous submissions. UUIDs are statistically unique.

Can I reset the sequence every year?

Yes. Set a yearly reset and the counter starts from 1 each January. The year is typically part of the format: INV-2025-0001.

What if I delete a record? Does the number get reused?

No. Deleted numbers are skipped. INV-0003 is deleted? The next record gets INV-0004. Gaps are intentional to maintain integrity.

Can I have different ID formats for different record types?

Yes. Use per-category sequences. If you have a Type field, each value gets its own counter: INV-0001, PO-0001, RFQ-0001.

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