How to prevent duplicate IDs

Manish_Jain11 · 05-12-2021 07:16 AM

Hello,

I am working with incremental Sequential IDs for my records. Though this column is not the key I want this to remain unique as we more often use this for intra communication in the office and there is only one person adding the record. Despite that there are duplicate IDs getting created.

What do you think could be causing the creation of duplicate IDs in such scenario ?

Steve

The process you’re using to generate the IDs is flawed.

See also:

Manish_Jain11

Hi Steve,

This is the method I am using to generate the serial number and we cannot avoid sequential numbers as our communications, doc filing and our process depends on the sequence.

But why is it creating duplicates when only one user is creating the records ? This is what I don’t understand.

Even if the data is not syncing, it already exists in the local table of that user and it generates id based on that.

Steve

Please post screenshots of the complete expression that generates the serial number; of the column configuration screen including the top section, Type Details, and Auto Compute sections.

Manish_Jain11

Marc_Dillon

There is nothing here to indicate a reason for duplicate values. Are you absolutely sure it is only 1 user? I’d suggest investigating the edit history of the base gsheet, and/or the app’s audit logs.

Manish_Jain11

Yes it was 100 percent 1 user . But yes when I checked with my staff, he said he had 2 browser windows open and I doubt he might have done one entry in one window and the other entry in the other. But does it really make a difference, the logged in user is just the same anyway .

Marc_Dillon

Yes, it would.

Manish_Jain11

Ok, That probably was the reason I think then. I would restrict working on 2 windows at the same time and see if that solves.