Utilizing Salesforce’s auto-numbering field can help save your team manual work – like when generating an account number. Many people are skeptical of using auto-numbering fields because there are rare times where you need to change that auto-assigned number. When a number is assigned using auto-assignment, it cannot be changed by an end user without some configuration.
If you are a Salesforce Admin, follow these steps to edit your field. In our example, the customer auto-assigns a number to every Account created but the number should end in 46 instead of 47.
Note: You will want to make this change when users are not in the system.
- Navigate to Setup
- Navigate to the field you want to modify. In my example, this auto-number field is on the Opportunity Page. Build > Customize > Opportunities > Fields
- In the list of fields, find your auto-number field and click Edit
- Select Change Field Type
- Change the Data Type to Text
- Save the changes
- Navigate to the record you need to modify the Account Number
- The Account Number field is now a Text Field and editable
- Save your edits
- Navigate to Setup
- Navigate to the Account Number field [Build > Customize > Opportunities > Field]
- Select Change Field Type
- Change the Data Type to Auto Number
- Enter the Starting Number the system should use for all records created in the future
- Save the changes
Just like that, the number has been updated and you are all done. Find more of these time-saving and hero-like Salesforce tips in our Salesforce Blog Tip Archive.
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