Understanding IDs and references - occupancy & billing modules

4 minutes read

The Found product provides a range of unique ID fields designed to offer flexibility based on operational preferences - whether you choose to adopt Found as your primary data source or maintain existing identifiers from previous systems the product can accommodate for both scenarios. 

Found offers two key identifier fields across the occupancy and billing modules:

• ID: A system-generated, fixed and uneditable field.
• Reference: A customisable, free-text field.

Choosing Between ID and Reference:

1. Resident Identifier

Resident ID

• Automatically generated by Found when a resident profile is created, this ID remains consistent across all associated bookings.
• It is a unique, fixed numerical identifier managed at the company level and visible in the summary bar of the resident profile. 
• Typically used by our partner base when Found serves as the single source of truth for all resident records. 
• This ID is searchable via the main search bar

Account Reference

• A free-text, customisable field that can be filled in via the Billing tab after a resident profile is created.
• Ideal for carrying over legacy IDs from previous systems
• Built-in validation alerts users if a duplicate ID is entered.
• This ID is searchable via the main search bar

2. Private Fee Payer Identifier

Fee Payer ID

• Automatically generated in the format FP-### when a private fee payer is created within a resident booking.
• There is no cap at 999 - IDs continue incrementing beyond 1000, with the first fee payer created within the product starting at FP-001
• If a private fee payer is copied across from one booking to another, the same Fee Payer ID is retained across both.
• This ID is searchable via the main search bar

Fee Payer Reference

• A free-text, customisable field that can be filled in when creating a Fee Payer via the add fee payer side panel
• Ideal for carrying over legacy IDs from previous systems 
• Built-in validation alerts users if a duplicate ID is entered.
• This ID is searchable via the main search bar

3. Company Fee Payer Identifier

Company Fee Payer ID

• Automatically generated in the format CP-### when a company fee payer is created within the company fee payer settings. 
• There is no cap at 999 - IDs continue incrementing beyond 1000, with the first company fee payer created within the product starting at CFP-001
• If a company fee payer is copied across from one booking to another, the same Fee Payer ID is retained across both.
• This ID is searchable via the main search bar

Company Fee Payer Reference

• A free-text, customisable field that can be filled in when creating a Company Fee Payer within the company fee payer settings. 
• Ideal for carrying over legacy IDs from previous systems
• This ID is searchable via the main search bar 

Contribution Band ID 

• Automatically generated in the format CFP-###-B-### when a company fee payer contribution is created within the company fee payer settings. 
• There is no cap at 999 - IDs continue incrementing beyond 1000, with the first company fee payer contribution created within the product starting at CP-001-B-001

Contribution Reference 

• A free-text, customisable field that can be filled in when creating a Company Fee Payer Contribution Band via the contribution bands tab within the company fee payer profile. 
• Ideal for carrying over legacy IDs from previous systems

Fee Payer ID (For Company Fee Payers attached in the Resident profile)

• Automatically generated in the format FP-### when a company fee payer is created within a resident booking.
• There is no cap at 999 - IDs continue incrementing beyond 1000, with the first fee payer created within the product starting at FP-001
• If a company fee payer is copied across from one booking to another, the same Fee Payer ID is retained across both.
• This ID is searchable via the main search bar 

Fee Payer Reference (For Company Fee Payers attached in the Resident profile)

• A free-text, customisable field that can be filled in when creating a company fee payer via the add fee payer side panel
• Ideal for carrying over legacy IDs from previous systems 
• Built-in validation alerts users if a duplicate ID is entered.
• This ID is searchable via the main search bar 

4. Locations Identifier

Location ID

• Automatically generated by Found when a new location is created
• It is a unique, fixed numerical identifier managed at the local level and visible in the location settings (Home > Locations > Dashboard > Location Settings > Location Details)
• Typically used by our partner base when Found serves as the single source of truth for all location records.

Location References 

• A free-text, customisable field that can be managed  at the local level and visible in the location settings (Home > Locations > Dashboard > Location Settings > Location Details)
• Ideal for carrying over legacy IDs from previous systems 

Summary 

• Use ID fields if you're ready for Found to manage your identifiers end-to-end.
• Use Reference fields if you’re migrating from an existing system and need continuity with historic IDs.
• Mixed approaches are common: e.g. using ID for residents and Reference for Fee Payers.