Create Unique Case Id Prefixes for Different Company Roles

Supportbench

07-Jul-2025

Creating and Assigning Custom Case ID Prefixes for Companies

In our system, every item is assigned a unique identifier (ID) that consists of two parts: a prefix and the ID number itself, formatted as <prefix>-<ID>. The prefix serves as a quick reference to the type of item it represents. For example, you might see case-12345 for a support case or user-67890 for a user profile.

This prefix system is particularly powerful when it comes to organizing and managing data from multiple sources. For instance, if you are migrating from a legacy platform like Zendesk, you could import all your old cases with a distinct prefix, such as ZEN. This prevents any potential ID conflicts with existing cases in your current system and makes it easy to identify the origin of each case at a glance.

This article will guide you through the process of creating unique ID prefixes for different company roles. This allows you to assign custom prefixes to cases based on the company associated with them, enhancing organization and workflow automation.

Important: A case will only be assigned a custom company prefix if the company is associated with the case at the moment of its creation (e.g., via email, through the customer portal, or by manual assignment). If a company is linked to a case after the case has already been created, the case ID prefix will not be updated to the company's custom prefix.

Step 1: Create a New ID Mapping

First, you need to define the new prefix and link it to the "Case" item type.

1. Navigate to Configuration → API → ID Mapping.

2. Click the New Mapping button in the top right corner.

3. In the "Prefix" field, enter the new prefix you wish to use (e.g., B1, ACME, VIP).

4. From the "Type" dropdown menu, select Case.

5. Click Save to create your new ID mapping.

Step 2: Create a New Customer Role

Next, you will create a new customer role that utilizes the ID prefix you just created.

1. Go to Configuration → Customers → Customer Role.

2. Click on New Role in the top right corner.

3. Enter a descriptive name for the role (e.g., "Tier 1 Support," "Key Accounts").

4. From the "Case ID Prefix" dropdown menu, select the new ID prefix you created in the previous step (e.g., B1).

5. Click Save to create the new role.

Step 3: Associate a Company with the New Role

Finally, assign the new role to the desired company. All future cases created by this company will now use the new prefix.

1. Navigate to Configuration → Customers → Companies.

2. Use the search bar to find the company you want to assign the new role to and click on its name to edit.

3. In the company's profile, select the Roles tab.

4. Click to add and select the new role you created (e.g., "Key Accounts").

A Note on Multiple Roles:

While a company can be assigned multiple roles, only the first role assigned will be used for ID prefix mapping. If you require specific prefixes for different companies, it is strongly recommended that you assign only one role with an associated Case ID Prefix to each company to ensure consistent and predictable behavior.

1. Click Save to apply the role to the company.