Use simple or advanced ways of numbering objects and documents by custom values or grouping. Label your document versions using major-minor or custom schema. Auto numbering can be grouped by objects (e.g. Employee, Country, Division, Project) or custom numbering (e.g. A001, 1.0.9, etc.)

Configuration #

After you have successfully installed the application, you should configure Auto numbering properties.

1. Open M-Files Admin
2. In the left-side tree view, expand the desired connection to M-Files Server.
3. In the left-side tree view, expand the Document Vaults node.
4. Still, in the left-side tree view, expand the vault where you installed the connector and select Configurations.
5. Expand Other Applications
6. Expand Extension Kit
7. Click on Auto numbering properties

Field Description #

Field	Value	Description
Enabled	Yes/No	Specifies whether the module is in use.
Configuration mode	Simple/Advanced	Display simple or advanced configuration options for rule.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n]
Name	Text	Specified rule group name.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n]
Name	Text	Specifies name of the rule.
Description	Text	Specifies rule description.
Enabled	Yes/No	Specifies whether the module is in use.
Configuration mode	Simple/Advanced	Display simple or advanced configuration options for module.
Business critical	Yes/No	If set to true, rule will be logged in SEQ.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n] > Filter condition
Search Conditions	Search Condition	Optional additional conditions that source object needs to satisfy. Conditions inside a single filter are combined with AND, while multiple filters are combined with OR operator.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n] > Stop conditions > Stop Condition [n]
Search Condition	Search Condition	Optional search conditions. When object matches stop conditions, property value will not be calculated.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n] > Numbering value
Numbering type	• Simple • Semantic	Simple. Plain old integer numbering. Semantic. Consist of three parts, written in the form of x, y, z where x, y and z are integers representing major, minor and patch version numbers respectively.
Property	Property Definition	Property whose value will be set.
Recalculate properties	Yes/No	If it set to yes, it will recalculate chosen properties when clicked Recalculate on dashboard.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n] > Numbering value > Property value
Start numbering from	• DefaultValue • Vault	Default Value. Start numbering from specified static default value. Vault. Search for objects in vault that match specified grouping conditions and contain this numbering property and start numbering from biggest found value of property.
Default value	Integer	Default value to use when version is not set.
Increment value	Integer	Increment that will be used when calculating next value.
Include deleted objects	Yes/No	Displayed only if Start numbering from = Vault. Include deleted objects when searching for max value in vault.
Search timeout (seconds)	Integer	Displayed only if Start numbering from = Vault. Search timeout in seconds. This timeout is applied to search operation that retrieves max value of property from vault.
Always search	Yes/No	Always search objects in vault when calculating value.
Increment number part	MajorMinorPatch	Semantic number part to increment when calculating next value.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n] > Properties > Property [n] > Numbering value > Property value > Grouping
Group by	One of the following: • Property • PropertyCondition • StatusField • StatusFieldCondition	Grouping condition for numbering.
Property	Property definition	Displayed only if [Property] is selected as Group by. Property for grouping.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n]> Properties > Property [n] > Numbering value > Property value > Grouping > Property condition
Property	Property condition	Property condition for grouping.
Operator	One of the following: • = • =! • < • > • <= • >= • Contains • Does not contain • Starts with • Does not start with	Operator to use for comparing actual and expected property value.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n] Properties > Property [n] > Numbering value > Property value > Grouping > Property condition > Value
Mode	One of the following: • Dynamic value • Static value • Empty value • No action	Dynamic value. If this option is selected, value of placeholders in expression will be calculated from source object. Static value. If this option is selected, property value will be expected to match constant value. Empty value. If this option is selected, property value will be expected to be empty. No action. If this option is selected, no action will be performed. This is invalid state.
Dynamic value	Text with placeholders	Displayed only if Dynamic value is selected as Mode. Specifies expected property value using properties from source object.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n] Properties > Property [n] > Numbering value > Property value > Grouping [n] > Status field
Field	IDTypeVersion	Status field.
Rule groups [n] > Group [n] > Rules [n] > Rule [n] Properties > Property [n] > Numbering value > Property value > Grouping [n] > Status field condition
Field	IDTypeVersion	Status field.
Operator	One of the following: • = • =! • < • > • <= • >= • Contains • Does not contain • Starts with • Does not start with	Operator to use for comparing actual and expected property value.
Value	Number	Status field value
Advanced settings
Time to wait (milliseconds)	Integer	Number of milliseconds to wait before executing any rule in background.
Number of retries	Integer	Maximum number of times COM errors are retried.
Retry interval	Integer	Number of milliseconds to wait between retries.

Use Case #

Auto number of new employment contract annexes #

Customer is using M-Files for HR processes. When an employee change is planned (e.g. new position, raise, etc.), new annex is created. Customer is numbering new annexes per Employee and per Company (as they have several subsidiary companies). Each employee has his annexes enumerated in order, e.g. 1, 2, 3 etc.

Configuration of auto numbering of new employment contract annexes #

Document type is Contract and Property whose value will be set is Contract ID.

Next, we need to define which value we want to set. In those cases that is Customer ID.

We want to add auto numbering for Employment Contract, so we set up Property Contract Category to Employment.

When new Contract is created, Contract ID will be automatically defined.

Auto numbering new contract versions in custom way #

Customer is using M-Files for different types of contract. Each type of contract has its own way of version numbering, e.g. A001, 1.0.0, 1.0. By using Auto Numbering Properties, all different types of contract have their version set.