In practice, sequential numbering must be generated and printed on pre-designed templates – either sorted or randomly arranged – to ensure unique identification. The data source for the Serial Numbers can either be created in advance using an external application beforehand and provided as a CSV file, or it can be generated directly within the VDP Editor without the need to upload a CSV file. Serial Numbers are required for the following use cases:

• Lot numbers – unique numbers for raffles, lotteries, etc.
• Batch numbers – creating combined number ranges with consecutive numbering.
• Vouchers – generating unique numbers for promotional vouchers.
• Machine numbers – creating unique numbers for labels used to mark machines or spare parts.
• IDs/Tags – generating sequential numbering for identification cards or access tags.

You want to generate a sequential numbering on a sticker based on the following parameters:

• Seven-digit numbering
• The lowest number should start at 100, the highest number may be 9,999,999
• Horizontally centered within the designated free area on the sticker
• In Calibri Bold with an 8 pt font size
• In a color tmatching the design

To implement this setup, proceed as follows:

1. Open the desired Article or the intended Print Item in the VDP Editor.
2. Select the VDP Text Tool [1].
3. Create a horizontal line from the left to the right edge of the free area on the Print Item [2]. The line serves two purposes: it defines the start and end positions for placing the Serial Number, and it sets the baseline from which the Serial Number will be generated. The X and Y positions of the Serial Number can be adjusted at any time. The red color of the line immediately indicates to the user that the Serial Number is placed on the VDP layer at the topmost level [2].

Figure 1: The Print Item while positioning the text line with the Text Tool

4. After releasing the mouse button, the placeholder text Sample Content will be created in a predefined font size and style and displayed to the user.
5. Next, open the tab Content [3] and select the Serial Number [4] under the option Data Source.

Figure 2: The Print Item after defining the text position using the VDP Text Tool and selecting the Data Source «Serial Number»

6. By selecting Serial Number as Data Source, five input fields become available, each serving the following functions:
   • Start [5] – defines the starting value for the Serial Number.
   • Start again after [6] – by entering a value greater than the start value, the Serial Number will reset and begin numbering again from the start value.
     Example:
     • Start=100 | Start again after = 105 | Width = 7
     • Outcome: 0000100, 0000101, 0000102, 0000103, 0000104, 0000105, 0000100, 0000101, 0000102, 0000103, 0000104, 0000105, 0000100, 0000101, …
   • Increment [7] – defines the increment used to generate the next number.
     Example:
     • Start = 100 | Increment = 105 | Width = 7
     • Outcome: 0000100, 0000105, 0000110, 0000115, 0000120, …
   • Repeats [8] – specifies how many times the current Serial Number is repeated consecutively before moving to the next number.
     Example:
     • Start = 100 | Increment = 105 | Repeats = 3 | Width = 7
     • Outcome: 0000100, 0000100, 0000100, 0000105, 0000105, 0000105, 0000105, 0000110, 0000110, 0000110, 0000110, …
   • Width [9] – specifies the total number of digits in the Serial Number. Leading zeros will be added if necessary. (See also the warning message after the illustration.)
7. To implement the task, enter the value 100 in the Start [5] input field and 7 in the Width [9] input field. Leave all other input fields at their default settings. To verify your entries, check the values in the Preview [10] area, which shows the Serial Numbers that would be generated for the next and subsequent data records.

Figure 3: The Print Item with the configured parameters for the Serial Number

8. After defining and verifying the Serial Number sequence, you can proceed to configure the graphical layout. To do this, switch to the tab Format [11] and open the section Text Settings [12].
9. In order to horizontally center the Serial Number within the designated free space, select the entry Align Centered [13] in the option Horizontal Alignment. The functions of the other parameters in this Settings Area are explained later in the Article Create Serial Number on Arc/Path. For this particular example, the other options are not relevant.
10. In order to format the text for the use case described here, open the section Font Settings [14]. In Font Family [15] select Calibri and Bold [17], and set the Font Size [18] to 11 pt. This section also offers the following additional formatting options:
    • Font Collection [16] – allows users to upload custom fonts, which will then be available for selection under Font Family. The procedure is explained in the article Automatically Adjust Text Size for Serial Numbers.
    • Horizontal Scale / Vertical Scale [19] – distorts the font horizontally or vertically for the entire Serial Number. Typographers might not approve of this option!
    • Glyph Spacing [20] – increases or descreases the spacing between all characters. Selective spacing (i.e., spacing adjustments for individual characters or parts of the text) is not supported.
    • Stroke Width [21] – if you need to add a Stroke to the Serial Number or text for any reason, you can set the Stroke Width here. A more detailed explanation of creating Text Strokes can be found in the section Create a Serial Number with a Stroke.
    • Dash / Gap [22] – this option can be used, among other things, to create dashed Strokes around text. A more detailed description can be found in the section Create a Serial Number with a Stroke.

Figure 4: The Print Item with the formatted Serial Number

11. As the final step, the color of the Serial Number should be defined. To do this, open the are Fill Color Settings [23] and, for ease of use, select the option Color Picker [24]. This allows you to choose the desired color simply by clicking on the Color Picker [29], which will automatically transfer the selected CMYK value [28]. Alternatively, the color can be defined in other ways. The following options are available for color definition:
    • Color Picker [24]- When this option is enabled, different colors can be assigned as follows:
      • CMYK colors [26] – define a color by entering specific CMYK values [28].
      • Spot Colors [27] – select a predefined Spot Color from the list of system-wide available Spot Colors.
      • Color Picker [29] – displays the currently used color value. By clicking on the Color Picker, users can select a color, and the corresponding CMYK value is automatically populated in the CMYK input fields.
      • No color – clicking the X symbol displays the object without fill (transparent). This is only meaningful for text or Serial Numbers if at least a Stroke is applied.
    • Data Source [25] – When this option is enabled, the color value can be pulled from a CSV file or generated dynamically using Serial Numbers.

Figure 5: The Print Item with a colored Serial Number

12. If the Serial Number should also be give a Stroke, the color value and the fill color of the Stroke can be defined in the Stroke Color Settings [30].
13. Complete the creation process by selecting the option Save from the menu.

There are several special features available when working with Serial Numbers. The following section outlines these features in detail, covering all options that can be used in conjunction with Serial Numbers.