Creating new IDs

Overview

The Small Business System comes with 200+ pre-defined IDs. These are mostly in area 10-19. But in 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50-59 you'll need to create your own.

Everybody's business is different so we can't know what you need. But we're always here to help if you get stuck!

What is an ID?

IDs are specific things inside categories. And they're the folders where we store our stuff.

Think about an ID as the place that you sit down to work. You want to be able to find it easily. And it should have all the stuff you need for the job you came to do.

There are two broad ways to think about IDs in a Johnny.Decimal system.

1. Do you need a pre-defined 'static' ID?

On one side, there's IDs that are mostly static. These are in categories where a lot of design work has been done up front. Where we can predict what those categories will contain and create IDs ahead of time.

This is the pattern for area 10-19 Business administration.

Recommendation: Use the most suitable existing ID

In this case, aim to use the most suitable existing ID in area 10-19. Even if there isn't a perfect match, there should be something close enough. Pick it, use it, make a note in your JDex, and move on.

Create new IDs with caution

We have made sure to leave space in every header in area 10-19 for additional IDs. We can't have thought of everything.

But we strongly encourage you to ask the community before creating a new ID. Validate your idea. Check there isn't already an existing place.

Only create new IDs here as if they could be part of the standard system. And if it's something we really did miss, we'll add it.

Extending the end of an existing ID

Maybe you just need to 'extend the end' of an existing ID? This lets you add extra information without cluttering the parent ID.

For example, in the JDex we create a new note and append + to the ID. You can create as many of these linked 'child-notes' as you like.1

Figure 62.39A. These child notes are the names of our computers and servers. They sort neatly under the parent ID, 14.11.

2. Do you need an undefined 'fluid' ID?

On the other side, there's IDs for things that we couldn't have designed for you. We don't know how many customers you have. As a contractor Johnny had one customer. Now he has thousands.

In this situation, you'll need to create your own IDs.

How to think about new IDs

When considering new IDs, think about the 'shape' of the category they'll be in. Each category can have its own shape. But each category can only really have one shape.

2.1. Do you need something transactional?

The first thing to consider is if the ID needs to contain something 'transactional'.

Will it repeat over and over, each instance being very similar to the last? If you run an online store, these might be your orders.

Transactional items can easily number more than 100 over the life of a business. This doesn't fit in the standard Johnny.Decimal numbering scheme. But that's okay because each transactional thing is necessarily just like the last.

In this case, we use a different numbering scheme. For example, in area 50-59 the expanded scheme (50000 ā€¦ 59999) allows for the tracking of up to 10,000 jobs.2

2.2. Do you need something standard?

Now let's discuss creating standard IDs like 21.11 or 31.11.

Fewer, broader IDs

One shape is that you have fewer IDs and each is quite broad. Less things that contain more stuff.

This might be the pattern if you only have a few products in your products category. Like us. It's unlikely that we'll have significantly more, no matter how long we're in business.

In this case, each ID's contents might need to be further organised with a neat subfolder template.

More, narrower IDs

The opposite shape is that you have more IDs and each is quite narrow. More things that contain less stuff.

Just remember that there's only 100 IDs in any category. This is a deliberate limitation. Any more and it's easy to lose track of where things are.

A general rule is that over the life of a business you should aim to use about half the IDs. So you might eventually hit 21.50 or 31.50.

If you look to the future and think you'll use more:

  • Use broader IDs, or
  • Switch to a transactional numbering system.

Ask for help

This is obviously a big concept. It's at the heart of Johnny.Decimal and it evolves over time. So if you're at all unsure, please ask for help.

Related videos: Johnny.Decimal IDs, Adapting Johnny.Decimal for businesses with >100 customers.

Footnotes

  1. See the extend-the-end overview and guidelines pages for more detail. ā†©

  2. See the expand-an-area overview and guidelines pages for more detail. ā†©