How to generate formatted sequence numbers with Formula language

When creating applications in Lotus Notes, it is often necessary to generate formatted sequence numbers. In this tip, I explain how to generate five-digit sequence numbers using Formula language.
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The first unique number generated will be 00001, instead of 1, prefixed with four zeroes. The second generated number will be 00002, and so on.
More information on sequential numbering and Formula language:
Creating sequence numbers

Sequence numbering on a single server

Sequential numbering system for Lotus Notes applications

Formula language FAQs

Formula Language Learning Guide

Formula language tips and resources

Just follow these steps:

  1. Create a field called "DocNumber" on the form.

  2. Make this field a "computed when composed" field.

  3. Create a view (it may be hidden), "(DocNumber)" based on the created form.

  4. This view should have "DocNumber" as the first sorted descending column.

  5. Write the Formula language code below in the value for the computed field called "DocNumber." 
calc := @TextToNumber(@Word
(@Implode(@Text(@DbColumn
("Notes" : "NoCache"; ""; "(DocNumber)"; 1))); " "; 1))
 + 1; @If(@IsNewDoc;@If(@IsError(calc); "0000"+"1"; 
@If(@Length(@Text(calc))=1;"0000"+@Text
(calc);@Length(@Text(calc))=2;"000"+
@Text(calc);@Length(@Text(calc))=3;"00"+
@Text(calc);@Text(calc))); DocNumber)

MEMBER FEEDBACK TO THIS TIP

Here's a shorter version of the code, which accomplishes the same thing: 

calc := @TextToNumber(@Word
(@Implode(@Text(@DbColumn
("Notes" : "NoCache"; ""; "(DocNumber)"; 1))); " "; 1))
+ 1; @If(@IsNewDoc;@If(@IsError(calc); "00001"; 
@right("00000" + @text(calc),5)); DocNumber)

—Deb L.

******************************************

Here is a LISP programming language based way to do the same thing: 

Count:=125;
NumberList:=0:1:2:3:4:5:6:7:8:9;
NumberBase:=10;
NL:=@Text(@Subset
(NumberList;NumberBase));
@Subset(NL*+NL*+NL;Count);

—Eric M.

******************************************

Instead of checking the length of the sequence number, try this: 

@Right("0000"+@Text(calc); 5)

—Gopinath P.

******************************************

Here is simplified version to make the same computation into the field "DocNumber": 

calc := @TextToNumber(@Max
(@DbColumn("Notes" : "NoCache";
 ""; "(DocNumber)"; 1)))+1; 
calc := @If(@IsError(calc); 1;calc); 
@Right("00000" +@Text(calc);5)

—Kari P.

******************************************

How about using the following? 

calc := @Word(@Implode(@Text
(@DbColumn("Notes" : "NoCache"; 
""; "(DocNumber)"; 1))); " "; 1)  + 1; 

pad := 10;

@Repeat( "0"; pad - @Length(calc) ) + calc

—Richard E.

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This was first published in May 2007

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