What this tool does
The Unique ID Generator assigns formatted sequential IDs to records in your Airtable table. You control the starting number, padding, and how often the counter resets. Useful for creating order numbers, ticket IDs, invoice numbers, or any identifier that needs to be sequential and human-readable.Settings reference
Source
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Source table | The table to generate IDs for. |
| Output field | The Single Line Text field where generated IDs are written. |
Counter settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Counter scope | When the counter resets: Never reset, Reset each year, or Reset each month. |
| Start number | The first number after a reset (default: 1). |
| Zero padding | Minimum number of digits. Set to 3 for 001, 4 for 0001. Range: 1–8. |
Handling
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Skip records that already have an ID | When on, records with an existing value in the output field are not overwritten. |
How IDs are formatted
The ID is the sequential number formatted with the configured zero-padding. Examples:- Padding 3, Start 1:
001,002,003 - Padding 4, Start 100:
0100,0101,0102 - Padding 1, Start 1:
1,2,3
Counter reset behavior
| Scope | Counter resets |
|---|---|
| Never reset | Counter increments forever, from 001 through 999999 and beyond |
| Reset each year | Counter resets to Start number on January 1 |
| Reset each month | Counter resets to Start number on the first of each month |
001 for the first record each year or month.
Using the preview
The preview panel shows the IDs that would be generated for your records before you run. Use it to verify the format looks right.Common questions
Can I add a prefix or suffix to the ID?
Can I add a prefix or suffix to the ID?
The tool generates numeric IDs with padding. If you need a prefix like
INV-001, use the Text Processor tool to prepend INV- to the output field after generating the IDs, or use an Airtable formula field that concatenates your prefix with the generated number.What if two records get the same ID?
What if two records get the same ID?
The tool assigns IDs in the order records are fetched from Airtable. If you run the tool twice without “Skip already processed” and without filters, records could get reassigned IDs. Always enable “Skip records that already have an ID” to prevent overwrites.
Can I start from a number other than 1?
Can I start from a number other than 1?
Yes. Set Start number to any number. If your existing highest ID is
INV-042, set Start number to 43 to continue from there.