Automatic IDs (Auto ID)

Automatic IDs (Auto ID)

Auto IDs give every instance of a type a short, human-readable identifier such as REQ-42 or COMP-7 — handy for requirements, components, tickets, or anything you reference by a stable code.

Turning it on

1. Select a Node Type or Relationship Type in the Model Navigator.
2. In the Properties panel, open the Auto ID section.
3. Tick Enable Auto ID.
4. In the Prefix field, enter a prefix (for example REQ-).
5. Leave Show on views ticked to display the ID in diagrams, tables, and the Reader Workspace. Untick it to keep IDs working behind the scenes without showing them.

How the numbering works

• Each new instance gets the next number in sequence (1, 2, 3, …).
• The displayed ID is simply the prefix + number — e.g. prefix REQ- gives REQ-1, REQ-2, REQ-3.
• Numbers are assigned once and don't change afterwards, even if you delete an instance — so IDs stay stable references.

Good to know

• Auto IDs work the same way for Node Types and Relationship Types.
• You can use an auto ID anywhere you'd type an element's ID — for example, the AI assistant and the API accept REQ-42 just like the internal ID.
• Changing the prefix changes how existing IDs are displayed, not their numbers.