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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-06-01T04:43:19+00:00

I have a table named POS_File_Detail . I would like to update Line_Number based

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I have a table named POS_File_Detail. I would like to update Line_Number based on the count of the Invoice_Number and increment by 1 for every duplicate. So basically if I have three duplicate entries with the same Invoice_Number it will update Line_Number with what duplicate number it is. Something like this

    Invoice_Number | Line_Number | Description
    0123456          1             Pepsi
    0123456          2             Chips
    0123499          1             Hot dogs
    0123456          3             Mustard

The primary key for this table is an autonumber field named Record_ID.

I’m not sure how to put this in correct syntax, but hopefully this will show you what I’m trying to do

    UPDATE POS_File_Detail 
    SET POS_File_Detail.Line_Number = Line_Number +1
    WHERE COUNT(Invoice_Number)>1;
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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    This can be really easy if you have a field or combination of fields which allow you to define the ordering of the duplicate Invoice_Number values. Without such a method, the order in which those Invoice_Number values are retrieved is arbitrary.

    You have an autonumber field named “Record_ID” as POS_File_Detail primary key. 

    SELECT
    Invoice_Number,
    DCount("*", "POS_File_Detail",
        "Invoice_Number = '" & [Invoice_Number] & 
        "' AND Record_ID <= " & [Record_ID]) AS Line_Number
FROM POS_File_Detail;

    Although you asked to store Line_Number in POS_File_Detail, I gave you a SELECT statement instead. I did that because it’s almost always a mistake to store derived values in the table. Better to derive Line_Number with a query whenever you need it. That way you avoid storing redundant data and ensure Line_Number is always current despite inserts, updates and deletions to POS_File_Detail.

    However if you have a sound reason to actually store Line_Number in POS_File_Detail, you can convert the SELECT to an UPDATE statement.

    UPDATE POS_File_Detail
SET Line_Number = DCount("*", "POS_File_Detail",
    "Invoice_Number = '" & [Invoice_Number] &
    "' AND Record_ID <= " & [Record_ID]);

    Please make sure you really have a compelling reason to store those values.

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