Resetting Serial Each Year

[Adam AIS]

The company I am working for has a project ID number they assign to each project request. Currently the number system is in a YY123 format (i.e. the first project request for 2003 would be 03001 and the first project for 2004 would be 04001). They would like to keep this format.

I can figure out how to setup a calculation to input YY123 automatically for every record created, however I can

[dbruggmann]

I would create a new field

[Vaughan]

If you are using FMP 6, use the Reset Serial Number script step. It allows users to reset the serial number without having to break into the define fields dialog box.

Don't expect to be able to program FMP to manage the change-over automatically. Not because it cannot be done (it can, but there are a lot of gottchas) but because it's something that is better left to an "administrator" of the system. (Somebody will want to enter records with "old" IDs in the new year, for instance.) The system administrator can also make an informed decision as to what the new serial number should be, and check for duplicates etc.

[Adam AIS]

I spoke with my client about this and he's not concerned about it. Apparently he doesn't see the feature as important as his staff does. We're going to go with something along the lines of a reset button.

Thanks a lot for the feedback!