Open Add Field and choose Serial Number from the Advanced tab.
2
Type the Prefix and choose the Separator.
3
Set the Starting Number and the Zero Padding.
4
Choose the Sequence Context, the Year Format and the Fiscal year timezone.
5
Choose the Sequence Mode: Reusable or Strict.
6
Save.
In reusable mode, deleting a record from the middle of the sequence moves the counter back one step, so the next record may get a number that’s already been used. For invoices and contracts, use Strict mode.
Settings
Setting
Meaning
Example
Prefix
Text at the start
INV
Separator
Between the parts, - by default
-
Starting Number
The first number, 1 or more
1000
Zero Padding
How many digits the number has, 1 to 10
4 gives 0045
Year Format
YYYY or YY, or Hijri YYYY-H and YY-H
2026 or 1447
Fiscal year timezone
When the year or month starts, UTC by default
Asia/Riyadh
Branch Field
For the branch types only
The “Branch” field
Sequence types
Type
Counter
Example
Global (single sequence)
One counter that never resets
INV-0045
Per Year (resets each year)
Starts again every year
INV-2026-0045
Per Month
Starts again every month
INV-2026-07-0045
Per Branch
A counter for each value in the branch field
INV-JED-0045
Per Year + Branch
A counter for each branch in each year
INV-2026-JED-0045
The branch part is taken from the option’s short value in capital letters, such as JED. If the branch field is empty, DEFAULT shows.
The Hijri year starts on 1 Muharram, so a Hijri yearly counter resets on that day.
The two modes
Mode
When a record is deleted
Strict
The counter never goes back. Suits invoices
Reusable
The counter goes back one step
The counter never repeats, even if two records are saved at the same moment.
Each branch has its own invoice book, and the numbering starts from zero every year.
What they did
Serial number: prefix INV, yearly by branch, the branch from the “Branch” field with the options RUH and JED, padding 4, strict mode, time zone Asia/Riyadh.
The result
Invoices such as INV-2026-RUH-0012 with no duplicates, starting again on January 1, Riyadh time.
A made-up company, to show the idea. The numbers are rounded.
Good to know
Changing the prefix or the calendar format starts a new counter.
It doesn’t accept a default value or a conditional requirement.
It can’t be added up in a rollup.
When a unit is duplicated, each copy gets its own counter.
A sensitive field: it doesn’t show in public forms.
