ID's for lines

[AymenM]

Hello Guys,

I’d like to create a sort of ID for every single line but not the usual row-id which is impossible to learn by heart. Something like 5 digits or 4.

Any advice on how to proceed ?

[Drearystate]

If the row id is too long then use an arrayformula in another column that just narrows down it’s length. Let’s say row id is in column A ans we want our new unique id to be in column B. then b2 would look like this (assuming you are using headers):

=arrayformula(if(a2:a="","",left(a2:a,5)))

[AymenM]

Thanks ! However. I’m using Glide Tables…

[Drearystate]

Oh, I see…hmmmmm…you can use a similar formula in the if scenario

[AymenM]

@Drearystate

=arrayformula(if(a2:a=“”,“”,left(a2:a,5)))

Thanks !

Should I add it like that ?

(It’s a joke between)

[Uzo]

seriously?

[AymenM]

Trust me I was sarcastic here…

[Uzo]

the only way, is to from a beginning when you adding a row in that table have column set +1 for the new row… then you will have all rows nicely numbered… you can add another template column to add table name to that number, so you will have a great indicator what row from which table this data is coming from.

[Lucas_Pires]

[Darren_Murphy]

Auto Numbering

Here is how I would do it: [Screen Shot 2020-12-28 at 5.43.18 PM] “Padding” is just a simple ITE… [Screen Shot 2020-12-28 at 5.43.32 PM] So putting all that together, 4 columns required: Rollup to determine the current max order ID Math column to increment that by 1 ITE column to determine how many zeros required for padding Template column to join 2 & 3

I’ve used this method in a few apps now. The only gotcha is that it is subject to a race condition if two or more users happen to be creating a new record at the same time. So definitely not recommended for high volume usage. But if records are added infrequently, then it works fine.

[Uzo]

how is this to have numbering… is just padding with zeros in front

[Darren_Murphy]

Read it carefully

[Uzo]

sorry… i don’t see it… the numbers are already there… not from glide… from GS formula

[Darren_Murphy]

@Darren_Murphy

So putting all that together, 4 columns required:

1. Rollup to determine the current max order ID
2. Math column to increment that by 1
3. ITE column to determine how many zeros required for padding
4. Template column to join 2 & 3

Yes, steps 3 and 4 just do some padding (because that’s what the OP in that topic was looking for). But steps 1 & 2 provide auto-numbering.

[Uzo]

maybe i’am stupid… but i don’t see how you create auto numbering, if you increment max order by 1 , you will get all numbers in column , max order +1… all the same

[Darren_Murphy]

Of course you’re not stupid… far from it

Maybe it’s not clear…
In order to work, it needs a single row to “kick start” the auto numbering.
Let’s say the column you want auto-numbering is called ID.
You start off with one row, with an ID of 1.

• You do a rollup on that column, which takes the maximum order number
• Then a math column that adds 1 to that rollup
• Then in the action that creates a new row, you use that math column to set the ID column

Make sense now?

[Uzo]

OMG! this is what i wrote in the beginning…
I’m trying to find the way to get numbers for existing rows…

[Darren_Murphy]

[Uzo]

hahahahha… you were trying to explain me the solution that i proposed in the first place… LOL
problem is, when you have already rows in the Glide table… how to auto number them

[Darren_Murphy]

hmm, if the number of rows isn’t too many, you could use the same technique and instead of adding new rows, use a Set Columns action.
So show them all in an Inline List and filter where ID is empty.
Set the Action on the Inline List to do a Set Columns, setting the ID to MaxID+1
Then as you tap on each item, the ID is set to the next ID, and the item is removed from the list.

Should work, no?