Question AutoNumber Fields for data.

[sjd]

Thou shalt not use Autonumber if the field is meant to have meaning for thy users.

Can someone clarify that? I mean some examples of when/why it is wrong to use an auto-number field?.

 

[pbaldy]

I've broken that rule many times, but I know the limitations. You wouldn't want to use autonumber if missing numbers would be a problem. Under certain circumstances, an autonumber field will skip a number (typically when a user starts to create a record and abandons it; the autonumber is burned). So, if you used it as an invoice number, you might have auditors come in and say "what happened to invoice 123?", when in fact there never really was one.

 

[sjd]

Thank you, I was mostly concerned since I have been using them for other fields -- like Employee ID (used for lookup / data entry). Which skipping a number here and there isn't an issue. Similarly, for department codes, operation codes, etc. -- none of which would have a real problem with skipping a numbers.

Just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something really bad in the long run. =)