With ABOSS, you can automate the numbering of contacts by creating custom numbering ranges. Once set up, ABOSS will automatically assign numbers to new contacts within the selected range.
Table of Contents
Setting Up Contact Numbering
Notes on Numbering Ranges
Understanding Contract Numbering and Sorting
How to Use Contact Numbering
1. Setting Up Contact Numbering
To create a new contact numbering range for your agency, follow these steps. ABOSS will automatically assign numbers to all new contacts when you select this group.
Click on the "Office" icon.
Select "Contact Numbering" from the menu.
Next, complete the following fields:
Title: Enter the name of the range in the "Title" box.
Format: Define the format of the numbering. Use [number] in your format where you want the dynamic number to appear. For example, ABOSS2023[number].
Total Digits: Choose the number of digits for the dynamic number. For example, selecting 5 digits will result in a format like ABOSS202300000.
Contact Count: Displays the last number used. For example, if the contact count is set to 5002, the next contact number will display as ABOSS20235003.
After filling out these fields, click on Create Group to add the numbering range to your agency environment.
When adding a new contact, you can now select the defined range (e.g., ABOSS 2023) to generate the next contact number.
2. Notes on Numbering Ranges
You can create up to 25 different ranges for contact numbering.
Each range will automate the numbering process, ensuring consistent and organized documentation.
3. Understanding Contract Numbering and Sorting
Using a hardcoded "0" in the numbering format (e.g., XXX/YY-0[number]) is not ideal, as it can affect the sorting order and flexibility of your numbering system. Here's how to configure this properly for contract numbers:
Avoiding a Hardcoded "0"
Use a format like XXX/YY-[number] and define the number of digits you want. For example:If you set the number of digits to 4, the numbering will start at XXX/YY-0009 and go up to XXX/YY-9999.
The next number will be XXX/YY-10000, which will be sorted correctly in the list.
Planning for Larger Numbers
If you expect to generate more than 9999 contracts, increase the digit count. For example, setting it to 5 digits will start the numbering at XXX/YY-00001 and continue up to XXX/YY-99999.Current Example
In some setups, we see a format like XXX/YY-0[number] with 2 digits. This has the following implications:The numbering starts at XXX/YY-001 and goes up to XXX/YY-099.
The next number will be XXX/YY-0100 because the first "0" is always hardcoded. This can create sorting issues, as numbers will not be listed in the correct order.
Recommendation
Remove the hardcoded "0" from your format and use only [number] after the fixed part of the numbering. Then, define an appropriate number of digits that matches your expected volume of contracts. This ensures correct sorting and a flexible numbering system.
4. How to Use Contact Numbering
To use your contact numbering range, follow these steps:
Open the contact you want to number.
Click on the contact number field and select the appropriate contact numbering group from the dropdown list.
The system will automatically assign the next available number from the selected group. This ensures that your numbering stays consistent and organized.
