How about a simple character substitution routine like this:
Original # String: '0123456789' Substitution String : '2546890313'
Create a simple routine to take a number as a string, do a character by character substitution and return the "encoded" Ticket #
Ticket #: 12345 would be printed on the ticket as 54689 Ticket #: 12346 would be printed on the ticket as 54680
If the displayed digit string is randomly ordered none of the ticket numbers would make any sense if a morning ticket was compared to an afternoon ticket.
Then you could "decode" the ticket # when the user entered the ticket number to regenerate the original ticket number. This would also help prevent counterfeit tickets a bit as well, I would think.
This could even be expanded to include some alpha characters in the Ticket # if you wanted to add a prefix or suffix to the Ticket #.
Paul H. Tarver Email: paul@tpcqpc.com
-----Original Message----- From: ProfoxTech [mailto:profoxtech-bounces@leafe.com] On Behalf Of Frank Cazabon Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2018 2:25 PM To: profoxtech@leafe.com Subject: Numbering Scheme
I have a client who issues tickets in numerical sequence (it's a pawnshop). The sequence helps them balance things back at the end of the day (read that as check for stealing) when checking the various parcels received for the tickets issued (they keep a copy of the ticket issued to their customer and at the end of the day sort them sequentially and read the numbers off the tickets to ensure they match the parcels). They are now not wanting the number printed on the ticket as their competitors may be able to get an idea from the sequential numbers how much business they are doing (by getting a ticket early in the morning and then one ate in the afternoon).
So, they have asked me to come up with a solution and I must admit that I am coming up blank.
Any ideas?