Sequential, Random or Free Text: How to Name Your Records

Deciding how to name records matters more than it seems, because the title field is what identifies a record everywhere it appears — in forms, on cards, and in every connected field.

What each approach signals

The identifier is read by people and, sometimes, by your customers.

Free text depends on whoever is typing being consistent
A sequential number reveals how many records you have created
A random identifier reveals nothing about volume
A prefix makes the record type obvious at a glance

Comparing the three

Approach	Fits	Watch out for
Sequential ID	Payments, requests, internal tickets	Reveals record volume to outsiders
Random or custom ID	Customer-facing references	Harder to sort chronologically
Free text	Clients, suppliers, projects	Inconsistency and duplicates

How to configure it in Jestor

Open the table's title field in Jestor and choose the type.
Use a sequential ID for internally numbered records; it fills itself and never needs to be required.
Use the random ID field for customer-facing codes, combining fixed text with a sequence or random part.
Set the character count — up to 20 — and add a date component if useful.
Where a readable name is also needed, add a separate field and set it as the display label.

Why choose Jestor for record identification?

Jestor separates the title field from the display label, so a record can be numbered internally and labelled readably everywhere it is referenced.

The customizable identifier matters commercially: a code like a ticket prefix plus a random component tells a customer what they are looking at without telling them how many tickets you have handled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should a sequential ID be mandatory?

No, it generates automatically on creation. See jestor.com.

Can an identifier include a prefix?

Yes, fixed text combines with the generated part.

Can I show a name instead of the code?

Yes, by setting another field as the display label.

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 and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.

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