Auto-number Functional Changes

Here's a description of the functional changes applied to the Auto-number field behavior.

Functionality	Prior to Version 5.0	Behavior from 5.0 onward
Starting number	In the Field XML Definition, the field property was - autoNumstart When installing a new application or cloning an object definition, the auto-number sequence always starts from 1.	The Starting number is used to initialize the auto-number sequence. Once initiated, the auto-number sequence is known as the Current Number. In the Field XML Definition, the field property “autoNumStart” is replaced with “startingAutoNumber”. When installing a new application or cloning an object definition the auto-number sequence starts with the Starting number.
Current Number	This property did not exist. Instead, the starting number displayed the current running sequence of the auto-number field.	The current number can be set to any value greater than the current value. If you choose to specify a lower current number value, check for any existing records for the selected object. If records are available, delete all those records from the object and the Recycle Bin. This property is displayed only when you are editing the auto-number field. Editing a current number is a separate action performed in the Edit Current Number dialog which updates the current number when you save it. Note: The value of a current number cannot be edited or retrieved through APIs .
Field Definition Level Validations Triggers (before create action)	Field level validations are executed for records. All triggers used to consume the auto-number field value.	When a record is being created from the user interface, there is no validation involved as the auto-number field is empty until the record is created. Note: When creating a record from the user interface, if there are null or blank check applied on the auto-number field, the validation triggers might fail due to which the script might need modification. Other triggers consume the auto-number field value.
Create records	The auto-number field behavior for creating records from the user interface and the APIs were different.	The auto-number behavior is similar whether you are creating records from the user interface or the APIs. Displays the text, " Auto-generated" in the user interface. Platform generates a value for the auto-number field when the record is saved. Platform generates a value for the auto-number field, if the value is not specified in the API.
Edit records	The auto-number field behavior for editing records from the user interface and the APIs were different.	The auto-number field behavior is similar when editing records from the user interface and APIs. In both the cases, the current number is updated only if the auto-number field value is set in a valid format.
Cloning records		Platform always generates a new value for the auto-number fields when cloning a record through the user interface or an API.

Note: The current number is updated only if the auto-number field value is set in a valid format.