What Happens when the Displayed Record Number or Alt_id is Changed?

First did you know that all records – permits, applications, and licenses have a unique identification code within their agency called the Record Id?  The Record Id often appears in the extreme right hand column on the Building or Record List portlet. 

The Record Id is used to link all of the components – like custom fields, owner, site address, parcel, inspections and work flow – to the record.  In the data base each of these components represents a table. 

The Record Number exists in two places in the data base – the main table for the record (B1PERMIT) and the table that includes all the financial transactions for the record (ACCOUNTING_AUDIT_TRAIL) starting when fees are invoiced.  Both tables have the Record Id as well.  The table with the financial transactions copies the Record Number from the main table for records for each step in financial transactions.
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The Record Number can be modified on the ‘Description of Work/Copy Recs (Unrelated)’ portlet.  When the Record Number is modified, the date the modification occurred can be found by using the ‘View Log’ button on the ‘Description of Work/Copy Recs (Unrelated)’ portlet.

When reports are run, the report will show the Record Number as it existed at run time.  This is not a problem unless a report was run that shows the original system generated Record Number and subsequent report was run that show the modified Record Number. 

The problems can be increased when report results end up as a documents attached to the record.  It is possible to have  documents with different Record Numbers attached to the same record.

Reports include invoices, receipts, permits and applications as well as tabular reports like Permits Issued.

To prevent these problems either never change the Record Number or only change the Record Number before invoicing fees and an application is printed.