User-Defined Fields with Automatic Numbering

A process control system, comprising:

• a server that has access to a database system and executes program code for the process control system;
• a table of process records in the database system, a process record indicating a current condition of a process being controlled by the system and certain ones of the process records including one or more auto numbering user-defined fields;
• a table of auto numbering user-defined fields in the database system, comprising a record for each of the auto numbering user-defined fields;
• a table of auto numbering process record status in the database system, comprising a record for each pre-defined process record state in which each auto numbering user-defined fields is to be generated;
• and
• a portion of the program code which is executed when a process record enters the pre-defined state for an auto numbering user-defined field, whereby an auto numbering field value is generated according to a configuration of the auto numbering user-defined field and storing the generated auto numbering field value in the auto number user-defined field in the process record.