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Microsoft Dynamics AX (Archived)

Some number sequences are skipping several values

Posted on by Microsoft Employee

In my company, we are using a heavily-modified version of AX-2012 R3. Everything seems to be working more or less smoothly, but I am having a strange issue with number sequences. The issue was first reported by our fields ops some time (maybe a year) ago, but it's hard to say if that's when it first occurred or when it was first noticed. In any case, the issue is that ticket numbers (a modification we made) and PO numbers (not modified by us) are jumping several numbers at a time, so that there is a lack of continuity in the ticket numbers. For example, we could have tickets ...257, ...258, ...259 then all of a sudden we jump to ticket ...269 without any identifiable reason. The same is true of the PO numbers.

The number sequence is NOT continuous for the ticket numbers, NOR is it continuous for the PO numbers.

Whenever this jump occurs, I have never seen any missing ticket numbers displayed in the 'Status' list on either number sequence. If I understand correctly, how 'continuous' works, I shouldn't see anything there, I believe?

In any case, I am wondering if anyone has any experience with anything like this. I can provide some more details if there is anyone out there who has any insights. I would greatly appreciate any help anyone might be able to offer.

Thanks very much in advance!

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  • CraigW42 Profile Picture
    CraigW42 85 on at
    RE: Some number sequences are skipping several values

    Be very careful about going Continuous unless you really have to as the performance impact can be quite dramatic

    As for the pre-allocation you generally don't get gaps over a period of time unless you are restarting the AOSs often as the allocation will fill the gap when a process is run often from multiple AOSs.

    It's also worth considering the size of the pre-allocation if you encounter large gaps.  

  • Ludwig Reinhard Profile Picture
    Ludwig Reinhard Microsoft Employee on at
    RE: Some number sequences are skipping several values

    Hello BlackOps,

    Are you operating AX2012?

    If so, have you tried using the d365fo docs sites?

    Please see:

    docs.microsoft.com/.../number-sequence-overview

    Best regards,

    Ludwig

  • Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member Microsoft Employee on at
    RE: Some number sequences are skipping several values

    I was hoping to find the blog mentioned (blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/.../how-preallocated-number-sequences-are-cached-in-ax) but it is no longer available.  If anyone has the document and wouldn't mind sharing it I would love to get a copy.

  • Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member Microsoft Employee on at
    RE: Some number sequences are skipping several values

    Hey, guy, I think that you have identified my issue nicely, so thank you very much! :) I will now have to talk to my database guys and the business and see what they want to do. I think, I can uncheck 'Preallocation' and not have number sequence skipping but possibly have performance impacts or I can check 'Continuous', not have number sequence skipping, but then I may end up with some others issues related to the contexts in which we are using these number sequences. In any case, that's for us to sort out. Again, thank you so much, and have a great day! :)

  • Guy Terry Profile Picture
    Guy Terry 28,621 Super User 2024 Season 2 on at
    RE: Some number sequences are skipping several values

    This explains what Preallocation does better than I could:

    blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/.../how-preallocated-number-sequences-are-cached-in-ax

    I don't normally enable it.

  • Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member Microsoft Employee on at
    RE: Some number sequences are skipping several values

    Hi, Guy, 'Preallocation' is activated for both number sequences. Is that an issue? Thanks!

  • Guy Terry Profile Picture
    Guy Terry 28,621 Super User 2024 Season 2 on at
    RE: Some number sequences are skipping several values

    Check if you have Number sequence 'Preallocation' enabled on those number sequences.

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