Enumber

Enumber, short for entity number, is a class of identifying strings used in information technology to uniquely identify objects such as records, devices, users, or transactions within a system. Enumbers are designed to be shorter and more human-friendly than some universal identifiers while preserving uniqueness within a defined scope. They are not a single global standard; implementations vary by organization and domain.

Common characteristics include fixed length or variable length within a namespace, the use of prefixes to indicate region or entity type, and optional check digits to enable quick validation. Formats may include regional prefixes (for example EN-US-ORD-000123), base-36 alphanumeric sequences, and appended checksums. The exact syntax and components are typically defined by the governing system or business rules of the issuing organization.

Generation methods for enumbers range from namespace-based counters and cryptographic hashing of metadata to random numbers with collision checks. Some schemes combine a region or type prefix with a sequential sequence and a last-digit checksum to support error detection. Validation procedures often rely on simple checksum verification or pattern matching against the defined format.

Applications of enumbers span many domains, including inventory management, customer records, order processing, access control logs, and asset management. They are valued for being more readable and easier to type than longer identifiers, while still supporting programmatic processing, sorting, and validation within a given scope.

Limitations include the lack of a universal format, which can hinder cross-system interoperability. Organizations must implement governance to avoid collisions, manage lifecycle and revocation, and protect privacy when identifiers reveal sensitive metadata. See also UUID, GUID, asset tag, and serial number.