How do you add auto number system to existing form in access?

[Lori-Access]

I am new to Access and had a crash course in Access to set up a fairly simple
database. I have a form set up for data input by others and I thought the
record number would work as a reference number for backup data received but
the record number does not stay same for that particular facility - the form
puts the facility in alpha order so the original record number changes as new
data input in the form. Can I fix this somehow or can I add an auto number
reference id to my already existing form?

 

[KARL DEWEY]

Can I fix this somehow or can I add an auto number reference id to my
already existing form?
Access autonumbers are continous but not necessarily sequential or complete
- meaning some may be missing. They are for machine use and not for human
consumption.

You can have Access query generate one but it will not always be the same
for a particular record every time due to different sorting and total record
sets.

For what purpose do you want this number?

 

[John W. Vinson]

I am new to Access and had a crash course in Access to set up a fairly simple
database. I have a form set up for data input by others and I thought the
record number would work as a reference number for backup data received but
the record number does not stay same for that particular facility - the form
puts the facility in alpha order so the original record number changes as new
data input in the form. Can I fix this somehow or can I add an auto number
reference id to my already existing form?

You are apparently assuming that records in a table have a sequential record
number.

THEY DON'T.

A table is an unordered "heap" of records. If you add an autonumber, each
record will be assigned a unique number - but you should *not* assume that
these numbers are "records numbers"; they aren't guaranteed to be sequential,
they will always have gaps in the numbering, and they can even become random.

If you want to see records in some specific order you must - no option! -
include a field (or several fields) in the table which defines that order, and
display the records using a Query sorting by that field (or fields).