If I want to create my own customer table:
1. shall i do it like this:
Customer(UniqueIdentifier), Name(text Primary column which will show full name of the customer), Customer Type, Phone, Email
OR
Customer(UniqueIdentifier), Name(Auto number Primary column), First Name, Last Name, Organization Name (will be filled if customer type is not individual), Customer Type, Phone, Email
//The Above is up to you. Since the Unique column is already there, unless you are using auto-num to generate a secondary (essentially key) there is no reason to have the auto-number. Some people using it in pipelines for invoicing etc though as they would not send a customer a GUID as it would be silly in an Email for an Invoice, for AutoNumber can be used as an example for that
and note that this customer table will have relations with other tables, like transaction table
// this is ok, it doesn't change that you should only (internally) look at the ID (aka unique guid identifier) as the unique identifier, from many times from an outside the system (SAP, Salesforce) etc you might have a secondary column (like an autonum or other string) that is linked between systems.
2. Are tables related based on Uniqure identifer? or based on the autoNumber? i think they are related by unique identifier
// Tables can be related based on what you want or in addition too, but by default it the GUID in the LookUp, but you can setup other columns and additional columns
3. And when to create auto number if we already have unique identifier? i think i can use lookup field on the transaction table to see this customer auto number, maybe it's easier to see that's why we create it?
// Yes, this goes to my above points, you can specify which field the users "sees" by default and depending on the UI you build (model driven or canvas or other), you can always select another field, via the LookUp, to show data from any column you want.
A little bit, try to separate, how are fields related when you create a lookup, versus what does a person see in my UI related to that Relationship, because that is up to you on many fronts, especially as it relates to the UI or external system Secondary Key, or in my example of using invoices, (dont send a guid), where an Auto-Number can be a great substitute and additional column to have.
If these suggestions help resolve your issue, Please consider Marking the answer as such and also maybe a like.
Thank you!
Sincerely, Michael Gernaey
