How to Configure Sequence Numbering

Give every work order, work request, tracking reference, quotation, and asset a display number that matches your internal conventions instead of relying on system-generated IDs.

Quick Summary

Go to Settings gear → Sequence Numbering to set a prefix, separator, padding, reset period, and year inclusion for each record type. Changes apply to new records only.

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Why Sequence Numbering Matters

Most operations teams already use internal numbering conventions across departments, contractors, and reporting systems. When your CMMS generates numbers that do not match those conventions, teams end up maintaining manual cross-references, spreadsheets, or sticky notes to bridge the gap.

Sequence Numbering lets you align Infodeck display numbers with existing internal processes so:

• work orders, requests, and tracking references are instantly recognizable
• teams can communicate using the same number format across systems
• reports and audits reference numbers that match procurement, finance, or compliance records
• new staff learn one numbering convention instead of translating between two

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Before You Begin

Requirements

• You must be an Organization Admin or Owner
• Sequence Numbering is available in Settings gear → Sequence Numbering

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Supported Record Types

You can configure independent numbering rules for each of these record types:

Record Type	Example Use
Work Orders	WO-2026-0001, MNT-0042
Work Requests	WR-0001, REQ-2026-0015
Form Tracking	TRK-0001, FT-2026-0003
SOR Quotations	QT-0001, SOR-2026-0010
Assets	AST-0001, EQ-0099

Each record type has its own prefix, counter, and reset rules so you can use completely different conventions across categories.

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Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Open Sequence Numbering

1. Click the Settings gear () at the bottom of the sidebar
2. Under Work Requests, select Sequence Numbering

You will see a configuration card for each supported record type.

Step 2: Set the Prefix

1. Enter a short code in the Prefix field
2. Use something your team already recognizes internally

Common prefix examples:

Record Type	Prefix Ideas
Work Orders	WO, MNT, PM, CM
Work Requests	WR, REQ, SR
Form Tracking	TRK, FT, TRACK
SOR Quotations	QT, SOR, QUOT
Assets	AST, EQ, ASSET

Matching Internal Conventions

If your procurement team uses PO- for purchase orders and your maintenance team uses WO- for work orders, configure each prefix to match. This way reports and cross-department communication use the same language without translation.

Step 3: Choose a Separator

Select the character between prefix and number in the Separator dropdown:

Option	Result
Dash (-)	WO-0001
Underscore (_)	WO_0001
Dot (.)	WO.0001
None	WO0001

Most teams use Dash because it reads clearly on screens, printed work orders, and in email subjects.

Step 4: Set Padding

1. Choose the minimum number of digits in the Padding field
2. Padding adds leading zeros so numbers stay a consistent width

Padding	Counter at 42	Result
3	42	WO-042
4	42	WO-0042
5	42	WO-00042
6	42	WO-000042

Higher padding keeps numbers aligned in lists and reports. A padding of 4 works well for most organizations.

Step 5: Choose a Reset Period

Decide whether the counter should reset automatically:

Reset Period	What Happens
Never	Counter increases forever (1, 2, 3... 10,000...)
Yearly	Counter resets to 1 at the start of each year
Monthly	Counter resets to 1 at the start of each month

Year Inclusion Rule

When you choose Yearly or Monthly reset, Infodeck requires the year in the display number so numbers remain unique across periods. For example, WO-2026-0001 in January and WO-2026-0001 after a yearly reset both include the year to prevent ambiguity.

Step 6: Include Year (Optional)

If you want the year visible in every number regardless of reset period:

Option	Result
No	WO-0001
Yes	WO-2026-0001

Including the year is especially useful when:

• your organization processes a high volume of records
• you need to tell at a glance which year a work order belongs to
• auditors or compliance reviewers reference records by year

Step 7: Set Next Number (Optional)

If your organization is migrating from another system and wants to continue from an existing counter:

1. Enter the next number in Set Next Number
2. The counter must be equal to or higher than the current counter value

This is useful when:

• you are moving from a legacy system and want to continue the sequence
• you want to start at a round number (e.g., 1000) for a fresh operational period

Step 8: Save Changes

1. Review the preview of your formatted display number
2. Click Save Changes
3. A success message confirms the update

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Important Rules

What You Should Know

• Changes apply to new records only. Existing display numbers are immutable and will not change.
• Reopening a record does not issue a new number. The original display number stays.
• Reset period and year inclusion lock after numbering starts. Once the first record is created under a configuration, these two settings cannot be changed to prevent numbering conflicts.
• Each record type has its own counter. Changing the work order prefix does not affect work request numbering.

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Field Reference

Field	Description	Default
Prefix	Short code prepended to every number	—
Separator	Character between prefix and number (Dash, Underscore, Dot, None)	Dash
Padding	Minimum digits with leading zeros	4
Set Next Number	Override the next counter value	Current + 1
Reset Period	Never, Yearly, or Monthly counter reset	Never
Include Year	Show the year in the display number	No

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Real-World Examples

Example 1: Engineering Team with Yearly Reset

Situation: Your engineering department processes hundreds of work orders per year and needs numbers that include the year for audit trail.

Solution:

1. Go to Settings gear → Sequence Numbering
2. Set Work Orders prefix to WO
3. Choose separator Dash (-)
4. Set padding to 4
5. Set reset period to Yearly
6. Include Year is automatically set to Yes
7. Click Save Changes

Result: Work orders are numbered WO-2026-0001, WO-2026-0002, and so on. When the new year starts, the counter resets to WO-2027-0001.

Example 2: Multi-Department Tracking Numbers

Situation: Your facility uses different numbering for work orders vs. work requests so operations and helpdesk teams can tell them apart at a glance.

Solution:

1. Configure Work Orders with prefix MNT and padding 4 → MNT-0001
2. Configure Work Requests with prefix SR and padding 4 → SR-0001
3. Configure Form Tracking with prefix TRK and padding 4 → TRK-0001

Result: A technician receiving MNT-0042 knows it is an active work order. A helpdesk agent seeing SR-0015 knows it is still a request awaiting review. A requester tracking TRK-0003 can reference it when calling in for an update.

Example 3: Migrating from a Legacy System

Situation: Your team previously used another CMMS and the last work order number was 4,521. You want Infodeck to continue from there.

Solution:

1. Set Work Orders prefix to match your existing convention
2. Set Next Number to 4522
3. Choose the same padding your team is used to
4. Click Save Changes

Result: The first work order created in Infodeck continues the sequence your team already recognizes, avoiding confusion during the transition.

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Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
Cannot change reset period	Numbering has already started for this record type	Reset period locks after the first record is created. Contact support if you need to change it.
Next number field rejects my value	Value is lower than current counter	Enter a number equal to or higher than the current counter shown on the page
Old records still show old numbers	Changes only apply to new records	Existing display numbers are immutable by design
Cannot access Sequence Numbering	Missing admin permissions	Contact your organization admin or owner

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Related Articles

• How to Update Company Profile and Branding
• Work Request Templates
• How to Use Public Request Tracking
• Settings Overview

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Need help? Contact Infodeck Support