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Change the starting value of an AutoNumber field (MDB)

Note  The information in this topic applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb).

For a new table that contains no records, you can change the starting value of an AutoNumber field whose NewValues property is set to Increment to a number other than 1. For a table that contains records, you can also use this procedure to change the next value assigned in an AutoNumber field to a new number.

1. If your original table contains property settings that prevent Null values in fields, you must temporarily change those properties. These settings include:
   • The Required field property set to Yes
   • The Indexed field property set to Yes (No Duplicates)
   • A field and/or record ValidationRule property that prevents Null values in fields
2. Create a temporary table with just one field: a Number field. Set its FieldSize property to Long Integer and give it the same name as the AutoNumber field in the table whose value you want to change.
3. In Datasheet view, enter a value in the Number field of the temporary table that is one (1) less than the starting value you want for the AutoNumber field. For example, if you want the AutoNumber field to start at 100, enter 99 in the Number field.
4. Create and run an append query to append the temporary table to the table whose AutoNumber value you want to change.

   How?

   1. Create a query that contains the table whose records you want to append to another table.

      How?

      1. In the Database window, click Queries under Objects, and then click New on the Database window toolbar.
      2. In the New Query dialog box, click Design View, and then click OK.
      3. In the Show Table dialog box, click the tab that lists the tables or queries whose data you want to work with.
      4. Double-click the name of each object you want to add to the query, and then click Close.
      5. Add fields to the Field row in the design grid, and if you want, specify criteria and a sort order.
      6. To view the query's results, click View on the toolbar.
   2. In query Design view, click the arrow next to Query Type on the toolbar, and then click Append. The Append dialog box appears.
   3. In the Table Name box, enter the name of the table you want to append records to.
   4. Do one of the following:

      If the table is in the currently open database, click Current Database.

      If the table is not in the currently open database, click Another Database and type the path of the database where the table is stored or click Browse to locate the database. You can also specify a path to a Microsoft FoxPro, Paradox, or dBASE database, or a connection string to an SQL database.

   5. Click OK.
   6. Drag from the field list to the query design grid the fields you want to append and any fields you want to use for setting criteria.

      If all the fields in both tables have the same names, you can just drag the asterisk (*) to the query design grid. However, if you're working in a database replica, you'll need to add all the fields instead.

   7. If you have a field with an AutoNumber data type, do one of the following:

      Add AutoNumber values automatically

      To have Microsoft Access add AutoNumber values automatically, don't drag the AutoNumber field to the query design grid when you create the query.

      With this method, Access appends records and automatically inserts AutoNumber values. The first record appended has a value that is one larger than the largest entry that was ever entered in the AutoNumber field (even if the record that contained the largest AutoNumber value has been deleted).

      Use this method if the AutoNumber field in the table you're appending to is a primary key, and the original table and the table you're appending to contain duplicate AutoNumber values.

      Keep the AutoNumber values from the original table

      To keep the AutoNumber values from the original table, drag its AutoNumber field to the query design grid when you create the query.

   8. If the fields you've selected have the same name in both tables, Microsoft Access automatically fills the matching name in the Append To row. If the fields in the two tables don't have the same name, in the Append To row, enter the names of the fields in the table you're appending to.
   9. In the Criteria cell for the fields that you have dragged to the grid, type the criteria on which additions will be made.
   10. To preview the records that the query will append, click View on the toolbar. To return to query Design view, click View on the toolbar again. Make any changes you want in Design view.
   11. Click Run on the toolbar to add the records.
5. Delete the temporary table.
6. Delete the record added by the append query.
7. If you had to disable property settings in step 1, return them to their original settings.

When you enter a record in the remaining table, Microsoft Access uses an AutoNumber field value one (1) greater than the value you entered in the temporary table.