You can have more than one sequential number series running at the same time, or at different times. For example, you may want to use different sequences to represent different departments, branches or types of Contact (e.g. Customer, Supplier or Contact Person), or you may want to use different sequences to represent different fiscal or calendar years.

The Number Series - Contacts setting allows you to take advantage of this feature. Here you can define the number sequences that you would like to use with Contacts.

To open the Number Series - Contacts, first ensure you are in the Sales Ledger. Then, if you are using Windows or macOS, click the [Settings] button in the Navigation Centre. If you are using iOS or Android, select 'Settings' from the Tools menu (with 'wrench' icon). Double-click (Windows/macOS) or tap (iOS/Android) 'Number Series - Contacts' in the resulting list. The following window appears:

Enter each new Number Series on the first blank line. The sequences that you enter should not overlap. The Comment will be shown in the 'Paste Special' list, so enter some text that will help you choose a number from the correct sequence. The N/L field common to all Number Series settings is not used with Contacts.

When the setting is complete, click the [Save] button (Windows/macOS) or tap √ (iOS/Android) in the Button Bar to save the changes. To close the window without saving changes, click the close box (Windows/macOS) or tap < (iOS/Android).

Once you have defined number sequences for Contacts, you can optionally use the Number Series Defaults setting in the System module to specify the number sequence that is to be used by default. The first new Contact that you enter will take its Number from the number sequence specified in the Number Series Defaults setting or otherwise from the first valid Number Series in this setting. For a particular Contact, any user can change to the first unused number in any other valid Number Series using 'Paste Special'.

When you save each Contact for the first time, its Contact Number will also be saved in the Number Series Defaults setting. So, if you used 'Paste Special' to change to another Number Series, that Number Series will provide the default Number for the next new Contact.

While you can only enter numeric characters in the Number Series - Contacts setting (i.e. you can only set numeric number sequences), you can use Contact Numbers that contain alpha characters providing you remain within the sequence. For example, if you have a sequence of 1-100, you will be able to use Contact Numbers 1, 1A, 1B, 2 and so on, but not A1 or B1. You will also be able to use Contact Numbers with leading zeros (001, 002 and so on), but you will need to set this format in the first Contact you enter or in the Number Series Defaults setting, not in the Number Series setting. The format will be remembered for subsequent Contacts.

If you leave the setting empty, Contact Numbers will start at 1 and continue consecutively. If you want to start from another number, simply specify it in a new Contact record before saving.

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Go back to:

Home page for Settings connected with Customers Suppliers and Contact Persons
Home page for Settings in the Sales Ledger
Home page for Customers, Suppliers and Contact Persons manual
Home page for Sales Ledger manual
Home page for Standard ERP manual

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