Kennziffer

Kennziffer is a term used in German to denote a code that uniquely identifies an object, document, category, or entity within a system. The word combines Kenn- (to identify) with Ziffer (digit or numeral), reflecting its role as an identifying code rather than a descriptive label.

In practice, Kennziffern are used across administration, business, logistics, and IT to index items in databases, forms, and processes. They serve as stable references that facilitate sorting, retrieval, and cross-linking of records. Kennziffern are typically numeric or alphanumeric and may be fixed-length or variable. They are often designed to convey structure—for example, a code where certain positions indicate department, type, or region—though not all systems encode such information.

Common examples include customer numbers, article or product numbers, employee or personnel numbers, order or case numbers, and cost-center or document-reference codes. In each case, the Kennziffer should be unique within its scope to prevent ambiguity and ensure reliable identification.

The management of Kennziffern involves coding conventions and governance within an organization. This can include rules for format, length, permissible characters, and procedures for creating, modifying, or retiring codes. When changes are needed, careful data governance helps maintain consistency and avoids conflicts with existing records.

Related terms include Identifikationsnummer, a general label for any identifying number, and Kennzahl, which denotes a key figure or metric used for statistical or performance purposes. While both share the root concept of identification, Kennziffer refers to a code for identification, whereas Kennzahl refers to a measurable value used in analysis.