glideapps / glideapps/expert-issues
Native Auto-Increment / Serial Number Column (Static, Non-Computed)
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Description
Native Auto-Increment / Serial Number Column (Static, Non-Computed)
**Summary**
Users need a native **Auto-Incrementing Integer** column type (1, 2, 3...) that assigns a permanent, sequential number to every new row upon creation.
**Crucial Requirement:** This must be a **Basic Column** (stored in the database), NOT a Computed column. Current workarounds are technically impossible to use with Glide Big Tables.
**Current Problem**
* **The "Joined List" Limit:** The standard workaround (creating a `Joined List` of all Row IDs -> `Find Index`) fails completely at scale. Creating a text string containing 25,000+ or 100,000+ Row IDs is impossible.
* **Big Table Incompatibility:** While these workarounds might work for small tables (500 rows), they are fundamentally incompatible with Big Tables designed for high-volume data.
* **Human Communication Gap:** The standard `Row ID` is a complex alphanumeric string (e.g., `Kj7-L9p...`). In professional workflows (Finance, Logistics), employees cannot communicate using these hashes. They need to say "Check Order **#1054**".
**Examples/Scenarios**
* **Financial Reconciliation:** A company has a General Ledger with 25,000+ transactions. Accountant A finds a discrepancy and needs to tell Accountant B: *"Check Line #12405, the debit doesn't match."*
* Using `Row ID` is impossible for verbal communication.
* Using `Joined List` calculation crashes the app at this volume.
* **Ticket Systems:** Simple sequential ticketing (Ticket #1, Ticket #2).
**Why This Matters**
* **Performance & Stability:** A native stored integer is zero-latency. Computed columns trying to scan 100k rows cause timeouts.
* **Enterprise Usability:** This is a basic database feature (SQL `AUTO_INCREMENT`) essential for large-scale data management where users need to reference specific rows by a simple number.
**Suggested UX**
* **New Column Type:** Add **"Auto Number"** or **"Serial ID"** to the Basic Column types.
* **Settings:**
* **Start Value:** (e.g., Start at 1).
* **Prefix (Optional):** (e.g., "INV-" results in INV-1001).
* **Behavior:** When a new row is added, Glide automatically assigns the next available integer. This value is **read-only** and **static**.
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