How to reset an AutoNumber field value in Access (812718)

SUMMARY

This step-by-step article describes how to reset an AutoNumber field value in Access. The AutoNumber field value in Access does not automatically reset when you delete some rows or all rows in a table. To reset the AutoNumber field value and to refresh the AutoNumber value in the referenced table, you must manually perform some tasks.

Note You must back up your database before you perform the steps that follow.

Reset an AutoNumber Field in a Single Table

To reset an AutoNumber field value, you can use either Method 1 or Method 2.

Method 1

You can reset an AutoNumber field value so it corresponds with one of the fields in the table. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Delete the AutoNumber field from the main table.
   
   Make note of the AutoNumber field name.
2. Click Queries on the left pane. Double-click Create query in Design view on right pane.
3. In the Show Table dialog box, select the main table. Click Add and then click Close.
4. Double-click the required fields in the table view of the main table to select the fields.
5. Select the required Sort order.
6. On the Query menu, click Make-Table Query. Type the new table name in the Table Name text box and then click OK.
7. On the Query menu, click Run.
8. A dialog box appears with the text that follows: You are about to paste # row(s) into a new table. Click Yes to insert the rows.
9. On the File menu, click Close. Click No to close the Make-Table Query window.
10. Click Tables on the left pane. Right-click the new table and then click Design View.
11. In the Design view for the table, add an AutoNumber field with the same field name that you deleted in step 1. Add this AutoNumber field to the new table and then save the table.
12. Close the Design view window.
13. Rename the main table name. Rename the new table name to the main table name.

Method 2

Alternatively, to reset an AutoNumber field value by using Method 2, follow these steps:

1. Delete the AutoNumber field from the main table.
   
   Make note of the AutoNumber field name.
2. Copy the structure of the main table and then create a new table.
3. Click Queries on the left pane. Click Create query in Design view on right pane.
4. In the Show Table dialog box, select the main table. Click Add and then click Close.
5. To select the fields, double-click the required fields. Do this for all the fields except for the AutoNumber field in the Table view of the main table.
6. On the Query menu, click Append Query.
   
   This changes the query type.
7. From the Table Name list, select the new table that you created in step 1. Click OK.
8. On the Query menu, click Run.
9. A dialog box appears with the text that follows: You are about to append # row(s). Click Yes to append the rows to the new table.
10. On the File menu, click Close. Click No to close the Append Query window.
11. Click Tables on the left pane. Right-click the new table and then click Design View.
12. In the Design view for the table, add an AutoNumber field with the same field name that you deleted in step 1. Add this AutoNumber field to the new table and then save the table.
13. Close the Design view window.
14. Rename the main table name. Rename the new table name to the main table name.

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Reset an AutoNumber Field in a Table with Referenced Tables

The steps that follow describe how to reset the AutoNumber field for a table that has one referenced table. If you have more than one referenced table, you must follow these steps for each referenced table.

1. Remove the relationship between the tables.
2. Set the AutoNumber field of the main table to a Number data type. Remove the primary key.
3. Create a new field of AutoNumber data type in the main table. Save the table.
4. Create a new field of Number data type in the referenced table. Save the table.
5. To create an update query that updates the new field in the referenced table to the new AutoNumber field of the main table, follow these steps:
   1. Click Queries on the left pane. Click Create query in Design view on right pane.
      
      This creates your new query.
   2. In the Show Table dialog box, select the main table and the referenced table. Click Add to add the main table and the referenced table. Click Close.
   3. Click the field in the main table that was previously linked to the referenced table. Use the drag-and-drop feature to put the field on the previously linked field of the referenced table.
      
      This creates the join between the tables that is based on the original linking fields.
   4. On the Query menu, click Update Query.
   5. Double-click the new field from the referenced table to add it to the field list.
   6. In the Update To field, type [Main TableName].[New AutoNumber field] to update the new field values in the referenced table.
   7. On the Query menu, click Run.
   8. A dialog box appears with the text that follows: You are about to update # row(s). Click Yes to append the rows to the new table.
   9. On the File menu, click Close. Click No to close the Update Query window.
6. Delete the original linking field from the main table and the referenced table.
7. Rename the new AutoNumber field to the original name.
8. Re-create the primary key and the relationship between the tables.

This procedure resets your AutoNumber field and then updates the referenced table with the correct key values.

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