Field unique issues.

OK backstory how on this works to see the issue....

We have several Collision shops as clients. We track the cars they have on the lots to know what cars we will have to take and calibrate. 

We have a table for Vehicles we track. we have a field for RO# per car. The RO# is the # that the client uses in their shop. Works great. easy to find and look up. All our records match theirs and its smooth.

We do not let them be Unique as different clients could use the same number. Super rare and not an issue as the car to the client and the VIN are unique.

We add car. Pipline  adds a folder with the RO# as its title under the client folder in BOX to store the photos. 

ALL GOOD.

but.... 1 client. only 1 of our clients (the only collision shop in the area that does this as we server them all.) They just use the last name of the client. So now what gums it all up is same last names.. Smith, Anderson, Kim, Whatever... It has become an issue. They will not change as they don't care. 

Is there a way with out have to make a bunch of special rules for 1 client that we can have QuickBase like add a number or something on to their PO# field? but do it right way so its not messing up all our pipline rules? 

Ideally you select that client and the PO# field knows whatever you type it adding like the record number to it. 

Anderson-[Record  ID#]

but not to do that for anyone else.

Also how bad will this be now that I have thousands of car records all ready and the PO# is just a text field. 

Also the moment we save a new Vehicle record Pipline is running of folder creation, email notifications, printing stuff and more all based on that PO# so has to do this before those run. I need the change number done at creation. 

I can't make the PO# be unique base on client can I?

Anyway sorry for the ramble its just an issue i cant seem to solve. 

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Ali Mohsenian
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