CDS primary name field data type auto number not generating auto number

[appdataac]

In Canvas app the CDS entity primary name field with auto number data type not generating an auto number. How to fix it so app can generate an auto number for each form record entry.

[Drrickryp]

Hi @appdataac 

Make sure to uncheck the required check box on the field properties fly out.  If you are importing data into the entity, it doesn't generate an autonumber at that time.  You will need to manually enter the sequence (using Excel) after the entity is populated. After that, new items added should have an autonumber generated by PowerApps.

[NHelgren]

Hello, The Primary Name field is limited to a string value only. It cannot be changed to be an autonumber field. However you can add an additional field for aotunumber that can be used on each entry.

[ZachMitchell]

Is there further information on this?  I'm going through the Build the Dataverse table schema excercise in the Microsoft Learn Design an accident tracking app in Power Apps learning path, and it explicitly walks you through changing the primary field type to an autonumber.

Here is a link to the MS documentation - Create Dataverse tables - Learn | Microsoft Docs

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/build-dataverse-table-structure/2-create-dataverse-ta...

[NHelgren]

Updated post: It appears some changes occurred on Autonumber since I last worked on it. I used strikethrough on my incorrect information and the updates are in italics. 

Hi @ZachMitchell  my mistake, it can be set to an Autonumber after the fact, just not at creation. In order for Autonumber to generate the number you need to make sure the field it not set to "required" because autonumbers are generated during the save and you cannot save a blank required field. Then, do not include an editable field for the Autonumber field in your edit view of the form. If the field remains empty an Autonumber will be generated at the time of saving. It appears that now you can change the data type to autonumber. If you are having issues, perhaps wait for the rest of the required fields to be generated before making the change to see if that helps. Also Autonumber now generates even if it is set as required and you can no longer exit the Autonumber field. 

[ZachMitchell]

I've tried it both as required and as optional.  I get the error the same both ways.  It should be mentioned though that the module on Microsoft Learn that I referenced does show that you are to leave it as Required.

[NHelgren]

It's interesting that it says to leave it as required, I anticipate that you will receive an error later trying to generate or save the record. I will try to find out who owns that content. It works fine for me on my instance. Try saving your table first and then changing it, that should also work. 

Update: I was incorrect this now works as Required. 

I tried it by changing on table create and it also worked as expected for me.

[ZachMitchell]

So after testing it multiple times before posting, then at least a couple of times afterwards to troubleshoot based on the responses I'd received, I was still getting the error.  Yesterday though - I tested once more to demonstrate the behavior to a co-worker working in the same environment...and it worked.  The primary field was able to be changed to an autonumber, and did save successfully.

I do not believe I did anything different.  I went through and tested again a couple of times, once even following the screenshots I had posted.  It has worked every time since.  

At this point I'm going to write it off as a bug that has been corrected.  Not sure that will help anyone else that experiences this issue - but maybe try it again in a couple of days.

Thanks everyone for the responses.

[NHelgren]

Glad it is working now Zach. I am unaware of any bug fixes deployed that would impact this but I am glad it is working now. Let me know if you see it pop back up again.