How to Configure a Record ID

What is a Record ID?

Every table in TrackVia has a Record ID: the label used to identify each record throughout the application. The Record ID appears as the record's title in views, in Link to Parent (relationship) fields, in search results, and anywhere else a record needs to be identified at a glance. A well-formed Record ID makes it easy for users to tell records apart — for example, "Laptop-0042 | Denver Office" instead of an unlabeled record number.

Record ID vs. the "Unique" field setting: These are two different things. The Record ID is a display identifier composed from one or more fields, and it is not required to be unique. The Unique checkbox (available in a field's settings in the Table Builder) is a validation rule that prevents duplicate values from being saved in that specific field. If you need to guarantee no two records share a value, use the Unique setting on a field (or include an Auto Counter field in your Record ID, since Auto Counter values are always unique). See Field Types for more on the Unique setting and Auto Counter fields.

Note: You must have Admin permissions to modify a table's Record ID.

Configuring the Record ID

1. Open the table in the Table Builder (click the Tables drop-down menu and click the pencil icon next to the table). At the top of the Table Builder, select the ID: [Auto Counter] label. 
   Note: a table's record ID will be the Auto Counter by default.
   
    
2. Using the INSERT FIELD drop-down menu, select a field to include in the Record ID.
   
    
3. For example, select Product Name.
   
    
4. Because multiple assets could share the same Asset Name, add a second field to make the Record ID more specific — for example, the Auto Counter field.
   

Both fields now appear as components of the Record ID.

5. To further customize the Record ID, you can insert text or punctuation between the field components (for example, a dash or a pipe character) by clicking on the AB button next to the Insert Field drop-down.
   
    
6. To change the order of the components, hover over a component, then click and drag it to the position you want.
   
    
7. Save your changes, then open a view of the table to see the Record ID in action
   

Tips for Well-Formed Record IDs

• Include at least one component that is guaranteed to differ between records, such as an Auto Counter field.
• Keep it short enough to scan in a view or drop-down, but descriptive enough to identify the record without opening it.
• Remember that the Record ID is what users will see when linking records through relationship fields, so choose components that make sense to the people selecting them.

Related Articles

• Field Types — Includes the Unique field setting and Auto Counter fields.
• How to Customize Tables
• Multiple Unique Record ID's