ID

The ID is a numerical field and always displayed in a Component List of items, normally as the first column.

The ID is a unique identifier for the item. It is displayed so that the ID can be used for clarity when referring to an item. For example, if you ask a colleague to send a particular Message, referring to it by the Message name, there may be more than one Message with similar names and the incorrect one may inadvertently be sent. By referring to the Message's unique ID such confusion can be avoided.

The ID of an item is also searchable. If you know the ID of an item it can be located quite quickly by using the ID as the search criteria.

Alpha ID

Many items have an alpha ID and it is often displayed in a Component List of items.

An Alpha ID is a second unique identifier that, once configured, remains the same across systems. This allows developers to programmatically access components and thoroughly test a configuration without having to make changes once it goes live.

The alpha ID of an item is also searchable. If you know the alpha ID of an item it can be located quite quickly by using the alpha ID as the search criteria.

Name

Most items require that a name is specified when they are created and it is often displayed in a Component List of items.

In the case of Contacts, which have both first and last name fields, these are concatenated together to produce the name.

The name provides an identifier for an item that is easily readable by humans. Unlike ID and Alpha ID, it is not necessarily unique, but can provide a person with some understanding of the item's contents.

The name of an item is searchable. This means that search criteria you enter when looking for an item will be checked against the name contents.

Description

The description, like name, provides an identifier for an item that is easily readable by humans. It is optional for most items, but can greatly help to explain the purpose of an item when viewed by another user.

The description of an item is searchable. This means that search criteria you enter when looking for an item will be checked against the description contents.