Unique IDs - the U_ID Field

Each record in Abacus databases has a U_ID field that is assigned by the program. This unique ID is guaranteed to be unique for that database, even when adding records on remote machines that are then synchronized. This U_ID is used to relate a record to other databases. For example, it ensures that when you add related notes or events to a name, those linked records stay linked when the data is moved to another machine via remote synchronization or even if you change the Last Name or ID fields of the record.

Notice that the U_ID is different than the ID field for names. The ID field is also validated as unique for name records, but it is a user-editable field that can be changed. It is useful for you to have such a field for social security numbers or your internal client billing numbers that you use to look up people. The U_ID, on the other hand, is not intended to be seen or used by users. But the field is visible in browses because it is an indexed field, and it can be useful for those doing remote sync to be able to verify the U_ID of records.