How to Retain Existing Reference Number for Revisions While Generating New Numbers for Variants? | Community
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ShobanaRa3
Level 2
April 10, 2026
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How to Retain Existing Reference Number for Revisions While Generating New Numbers for Variants?

  • April 10, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 22 views

Each time a new project is created, Workfront generates a new reference/form number. However, our business process requires different behavior based on project type:

  • Revisions: Should retain the original form/reference number from the previous project/version
    • Example: XX-1A-XX
  • Variants: Should generate a new reference number using the same base identifier, but increment the alphabetical suffix sequentially
    • Example progression: XX-1A-XX → XX-1B-XX → XX-1C-XX
    • The core “XX” values remain the same; only the revision/variant letter changes based on the number of versions created

Has anyone implemented a similar setup in Adobe Workfront?

  1. How are you handling reference number retention for revisions?
  2. What is the best practice for preserving prior reference numbers while allowing variants to create new ones?
    Best answer by user01245

    We wanted to implement something similar when we started using Workfront, but unfortunately, the reference number field is completely system-generated. The closest option we found was to create a ‘custom reference number’ field that we could edit ourselves. If you have Fusion, it might be possible to automate it as well, or use a calculated custom field. Either way, you’d still have the Workfront reference number along with your own, which could cause confusion.

    I’ve long wished Workfront allowed you to nest Projects, so you could have a project with a reference number, and then every sub-project would have the parent’s reference number plus a suffix or something similar. For our use case, the Portfolio/Program structure hasn’t been ideal, not to mention that issues/requests have to be within projects. It’s all very confusing.

    Workfront is an onion with too many layers. 

    1 reply

    U
    user01245Accepted solution
    Level 2
    April 13, 2026

    We wanted to implement something similar when we started using Workfront, but unfortunately, the reference number field is completely system-generated. The closest option we found was to create a ‘custom reference number’ field that we could edit ourselves. If you have Fusion, it might be possible to automate it as well, or use a calculated custom field. Either way, you’d still have the Workfront reference number along with your own, which could cause confusion.

    I’ve long wished Workfront allowed you to nest Projects, so you could have a project with a reference number, and then every sub-project would have the parent’s reference number plus a suffix or something similar. For our use case, the Portfolio/Program structure hasn’t been ideal, not to mention that issues/requests have to be within projects. It’s all very confusing.

    Workfront is an onion with too many layers. 

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