Customizing ID Numbers for Staff, Faculty, and Students

Populi generates Student ID numbers according to the following format:

• Current calendar year followed by six-digit counter. For example, the 23rd student you set up in 2026 would have a Student ID of 2026000023.

By default, it does not produce ID numbers for staff and faculty. However, you can customize the Student ID number format and add ID number formats for staff and faculty in a couple ways:

• Contact Populi customer support requesting help with customizing ID number formats. See the "do it yourself" section below to learn about your options.
• Do it yourself!

How to do it yourself

In Contacts > ID Numbers, you can set up custom formats for student, staff, and faculty ID numbers.

• If you leave the Student field blank, Populi will generate Student IDs according to the standard, default format described above.
• If you leave the Staff or Faculty fields blank, Populi will not generate any ID numbers for those people.

Here are the instructions for setting up custom formats—and the options you can request if you ask Populi Support to set it up for you.

1. Go to Contacts > ID Numbers.
2. Find the template field you want to change.
3. Using the bracketed fields and any additional text you'd like to include, enter the template information.
4. Bracketed fields auto-fill with information to create the student ID number. Your options are:
   • You must use either {RANDOM} or {COUNTER} in your template; these fields guarantee that you will not create a duplicate Student ID number.
   • {RANDOM} inserts a random number. If you want a random 5-digit number, enter {RANDOM:5}, if a random 7-digit, then {RANDOM:7}, etc. The maximum length is 10.
   • {COUNTER} adds 1 to a sequential counter. Specify a fixed length number with (for example) {COUNTER:4}—which would give you 0014, 0015, etc. If the counter exceeds the fixed length the number will get longer. (If you need the counter to start at a certain number— 0038 instead of 0000, for example—ask Populi customer support to set that for you.)
   • {YEAR} gives you the current year in 4 digits (2021); {YEAR:2} gives you the last two digits of the same (21).
   • {MONTH} gives you the current month in 2 digits (May = 05).
   • {DAY} adds the current calendar day in 2 digits (May 4 = 04).
   • {LAST} adds the student's entire last name (SELKIRK); while {LAST:3} gives you, for example, the first three letters (SEL). If a name is too short it will be padded on the right with zeros.
5. Any text, characters, or spaces that isn't inside {brackets} will just pass straight through.
6. As you work, you'll see a preview of an ID number below the field.
7. When you're done, scroll back to the top of the page and click Save Settings.
8. To return to the default, delete the entire template.

You can also check which numbers to continue showing even after the associate role has been deactivated.

Generating ID numbers for individuals

With the formats in place, here's how ID numbers will be generated:

• When you give someone the Student role, an ID number will be automatically generated for them. If you need to edit it, you can do so by editing the Student Info panel on their Profile > Student view.
• For a member of faculty and staff, a number will automatically be generated when you give them either role. If you have an existing person who needs an ID number, go to their profile, click , and select Generate ____ ID.

Examples

You admit new student Nora Starrick on June 15, 2026. Here are a few examples of how her student ID number could look:

• {LAST:4}-{MONTH}{YEAR:2}{COUNTER:5}—STAR-062600008
• {RANDOM:4}{MONTH}{YEAR}—8467062026
• {DAY}/{MONTH}/{YEAR}{COUNTER:5}{LAST:2}—15/06/202600008ST
• ...and so on...