Sequence number

A sequence number is a progression, or an ordered list of numbers governed by a pattern or rule. Use this page to define the structure for the different sequence numbers assigned to records, documents or serial numbers.

A set of sequence numbers is provided with your system and ready to use, or you can create new sequence numbers.

Create a sequence number

Define the main characteristics of the sequence number and the components that make up its structure:

1. To create a new sequence number, select Create.
2. Enter the sequence number ID and Name.
3. Select the Definition level to determine whether you want to create a sequence number for the entire application, or separate sequence numbers for each company or site.
4. Select the Reset frequency to decide how often sequence numbers reset.
5. Select the Type to define whether the sequence numbers are alphanumeric or numerical.
6. Select the Chronological control checkbox if the document numbers need to be generated in a chronological order. When selected, the document date is checked to ensure the document numbers are generated chronologically.
7. Activate the Force reset with tenant switch if you want all sequence numbers to begin from 1 when the tenant is reset on the Reset tab of the Tenant information page. Otherwise, keep the Force reset with tenant switch OFF if you want all the sequence numbers to begin from the value that existed before the tenant was reset.

Components grid

The structure of the sequence number is significant. If the sequence number structure needs to include criteria that indicates a level of management, such as the company, site, year or month, you need to add the criteria as a component.

1. To define the components that make up the structure of the sequence number, select Add component.
2. Select the Type of component.
   • If you select Constant, enter the constant to apply to each generated serial number. The Length is displayed automatically.
   You can use the Constant field for whatever purpose is relevant to the sequence you create, for example you can reference the type of document or item you are creating a sequence for.
   
   • If you select Site or Company, the Length is automatically set to 2. The component used to identify the site or the company is the 2-character constant entered in the Sequence number value field on the Site and Company pages.
   • You need to enter the Length for all other component types.

   The Sequence number length field displays the total length of the sequence number, including all components.

If you define the sequence number at the site or company level, you need to include the Site or Company component type to distinguish the numbers.
Sage recommends that the last component of the structure is Sequence number if the structure of your sequence number includes multiple numeric components such as year, month and sequence number.


3. Save the sequence number.

Duplicate a sequence number

1. Select the sequence number to duplicate.
2. Select the Duplicate icon. All the characteristics and components are kept and displayed, except the sequence number ID and name.
3. Enter the ID and the Name. If needed, you can update any other information.
4. Select Save.

Edit or delete a sequence number

You can edit all characteristics of the sequence number and the components that make up the structure of the sequence number.

You can delete individual components from the sequence number structure from the More actions icon for the component line.

You can delete the sequence number record from the More actions icon for the sequence number.

Update a sequence number value

You can update sequence number values to fix errors caused by manual entry. You can also use this functionality to maintain consistent sequence number values when you transfer documents from an external system to Sage.

1. Select the sequence number.
2. Select Update value from the More actions icon.
3. The Update sequence number value window opens, where you can view the existing values and provide an updated value in the New next value field.
4. When you create a document linked to the sequence number, the document number will reflect any changes you made in the Update sequence number value window.

Create a sequence number start value

You can also create a sequence number start value to maintain consistent sequence number values when you import data or transfer documents from an external system to Sage.

1. Select the sequence number.
2. Select Create start value from the More actions icon.
3. The Create sequence number value window opens.
4. There are 3 potential scenarios:
   • If the Definition level is application, you can proceed and create your new start value.
   • If the Definition level is company, you need to select a company.
   • If the Definition level is site, you need to select a site.
5. The Period date defaults to the current date, but you can change it.
6. Enter a new start value in the Next value field. 
The next value needs to be either the same amount or less digits than the value in the Length field.
7. Select Create.
8. When you create a document linked to the sequence number, the document number will reflect any changes you made in the Create sequence number value window.