I would like to give each record in a database an item id and would like it to number them automatically. I don't have much FM exp so please be gentle with me. Thanks in advance.

Create an item ID field as a number.

Click the options button for this field

The first tab you'll see is "Auto-Enter"

checkbox "Serial number" and enter the

first item ID number.

HTH

Dave

Thanks a lot! Did that which you suggested and now want to know this: I want to identify the vinyl discs in the database by the publisher and the year published. I have many different publishers how do I get the item id to have the code that I have made to be repeated in the auto. serial number. Example :

Bad John bajo010001 then,

Good John gojo010001 etc.

I hope I am making myself clear . Thanks in advance. Opal

I would do it a little different.

Still have your item ID, but then

create a field for "Artist Name","Publisher"

and "Year", etc...

You can then sort or search by one

or all fields or create another field

to add two fields together such as

the "itemID" and "Artist Name".

Something like field name: "Artist ID" would equal

calculation = Left(Artist Name,2)& itemID

(The left function returns the first 2 letters

from the left of the Artist Name field)

So if your "Artist Name" f ield had an entry of : Bad John

and your "itemID" had an entry of: 001

your "Artist ID" field would get calculated as: BA001

sort of like I think you wanted.

Fuge

Great! I am going to try that right away. Thanks. Opal