> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.jestor.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# How to Use Sequential IDs to Number Your Records
- URL: https://blog.jestor.com/sequential-ids-to-number-records/
- Published: 2026-09-17T22:29:12.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-17T22:29:12.000Z
- Author: Bruno Bannach

Using **sequential IDs for records** means each new row is numbered automatically rather than named by hand. For operational records like payments and requests, that is usually the right choice.

## Why free-text naming causes friction

A title field that someone has to fill in is a title field that gets filled inconsistently.

- Payments named differently by each person entering them
- Records hard to reference in a conversation
- Duplicate titles that make searching unreliable
- A mandatory field slowing down every single entry

## When to use which

- **Sequential ID** — payments, requests, tickets, and anything referenced by number
- **Free text** — clients, suppliers, projects, and anything referenced by name
- **ID plus a display name** — when finance uses codes and everyone else uses names
- **Not mandatory** — a sequential ID fills itself, so it never needs to be required

## How to configure it in Jestor

1. Open the table in **Jestor** and find the default title field.
2. Change its type to sequential ID.
3. Leave it unmarked as mandatory, since it generates automatically on each new row.
4. Add a separate name or description field if a readable label is also needed.
5. Set the readable field as the primary display where you want names shown instead of numbers.

## Why choose Jestor for record structure?

In **Jestor**, the title field is what identifies a record when the table is connected elsewhere — so choosing it well affects every form, card, and connected block that references it.

Because the primary display field can be set separately from the ID, the same table can be numbered internally and labelled readably everywhere it appears.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Should a sequential ID be mandatory?

No, it generates automatically when a row is created.

### Can I show a name instead of the number?

Yes, by setting another field as the primary display. See [jestor.com](https://jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com).

### When is free text better?

For records people refer to by name, like clients or projects.

## Video Tutorial: Step by Step

Check out other practical tutorials on the Jestor YouTube channel.

## Get to know Jestor

With **Jestor**, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way — all without code and powered by **AI**. Discover Jestor at [jestor.com](https://jestor.com/?ref=blog.jestor.com) and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.