---
title: External Project Number
keywords: external project number, external identifier, external matter number, external reference, project reference number, custom identifier, extra project field, external id, matter identifier, old system number, reference number
summary: "Explains the optional External project number field in Manor: how an administrator enables and labels it, where it appears on projects, lists, the Data view and search, who can edit it, and how it relates to billing and the automatic project number."
url: /management/settings
---

# External Project Number

## What is the External Project Number?

Every project in Manor already has its own automatic **Project number** — a sequential, unchangeable integer. On top of that, Manor can show an optional **External project number** field: a free-text box where you record *another* number for the project.

Typical uses include:

- A number from an older or parallel case-management system, so you can reconcile the two.
- A physical document box or archive reference.
- A case or matter number from an authority, court or registry.

The field is free text, so it can hold letters, digits and separators (for example `22-001`, `BOX-00231` or `2026/4481`). It is completely separate from Manor's automatic project number and never changes how that number is generated. For how Manor numbers projects and arranges its own series, see [Project Number Series](project-number-series.md).

## Enabling the External Project Number Field

The field is switched on once for the whole instance. It is an administrator task and requires the **Can manage settings.** permission.

1. Go to **Management** → **Settings**.
2. Find the **Project settings** card and click **Edit**.

    ![The Project settings card, showing Enable external identifier and External identifier field label](../screenshots/external-project-number-settings-card.png)

3. In the **Project settings** dialog, set **Enable external identifier** to **Yes**. The identifier fields and the project-number options appear.

    ![The Project settings dialog with Enable external identifier set to Yes and a custom field label entered](../screenshots/external-project-number-settings-dialog.png)

4. In **External identifier field label**, type the name the field should carry. For example, **External project number**.

5. In **External identifier field help text**, optionally type the helper text shown under the field on the project form. If you leave it empty, Manor uses its own default helper text.

6. Click **Save**.

> **Note**: The setting itself is called *external identifier*. Once you rename it with the field label, the field and its columns are shown everywhere under your chosen name. If you leave the label empty, Manor falls back to the default label *External identifier*.

The label is a firm-wide setting, so the field only ever has one name across the whole instance. Changing the label later updates the field everywhere immediately, including any columns you have configured.

## Where the Field Appears

Once the setting is on, the field and its value show up in several places.

### On a Project

The field is available on the project form, in the **Properties** area of **Advanced project properties**, both when you create a project and when you edit one.

![The External project number field on the project form, with its helper text](../screenshots/external-project-number-field-on-form.png)

Its helper text reads: *"External identification, such as number in older or another system."*

The value is also shown on the project's detail page, in the **Project properties** panel, directly below **Project number**.

![The Project properties panel showing the External project number beneath the Project number](../screenshots/external-project-number-project-properties.png)

### In Lists and Tables

When the setting is on, a column carrying your label is added to the project lists:

- The **Projects** portfolio list, where the column sits next to **No.** and is sortable.

    ![The Projects list showing the External project number column](../screenshots/external-project-number-projects-list.png)

- The **Data** → **Projects** view, which also shows it as a sortable column.

    ![The Data Projects view showing the External project number column](../screenshots/external-project-number-data-projects.png)

- The **Projects connected to you** table on the [Dashboard](../organizing-work/dashboard.md).

The column is added for every project, and stays blank until you fill the field in.

### In Search

The value is searchable, so you can find a project by its external number:

- The **Quick filter** on the **Projects** list matches the external number.
- [Global Search](../organizing-work/global-search.md) (the header search field) matches the external number, in addition to the project name, project number and buyer reference number.

Search matches the *start* of the external number: typing `22-001` finds the project, as does typing a leading part of it such as `22-0`. A fragment from the middle or end of the value does not match.

![Global Search results for a query matching an external project number](../screenshots/external-project-number-search-results.png)

> **Note**: Global Search lists open projects only. Closed projects are not returned by Global Search; filter the **Projects** list instead.

## Who Can Edit the External Project Number

The field is edited as part of the project, so it uses the same permissions as editing a project:

- **Can edit projects.** — can edit the external number on any project they have access to.
- **Can edit projects as participant (full access participant).** — can edit it on projects where they are the owner or have full access.

Anyone who can edit the project can change the external number; there is no separate permission for it. Changing the value is recorded in the project's log, like other project edits.

### Clearing the Field

The external number can be **added or changed**, but it cannot be **cleared** through the project form: if you empty the field and save, Manor keeps the value it already had. To remove or correct an existing external number, contact Manor so the value can be adjusted for you.

## How It Relates to the Project Number and Billing

- The **automatic project number** is Manor's own identifier. It drives the **No.** column and is assigned on creation and never edited.
- The **External project number** is an optional, free-text reference you maintain alongside it. The two are independent: a project always has an automatic number, whether or not it has an external one.
- The external number has no effect on what is billed, how entries are priced or how projects are numbered. Fields such as **Buyer reference number** and **Client identification code/number** are the ones intended to carry the client's own references on invoices.

In the same **Project settings** group, three further settings decide whether Manor displays the **automatic project number** or the **external number** in the interface and on documents sent to clients:

| Setting | Controls | Options |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **Project number on client-facing documents** | Which number is shown on work reports, invoices and progress reports sent to clients | **Manor project number**, **External identifier** |
| **Project number in search** | Which number is shown in project selection drop-downs and global search results | **Manor project number**, **External identifier**, **Both** |
| **Project number in tables and reports** | Which number is shown in data tables, page titles, breadcrumbs and reports | **Manor project number**, **External identifier** |

If any of these is set to **External identifier**, the external number takes the place of the automatic number in that context — including on client-facing documents. By default they show the **Manor project number** (and **Both** in search). These settings change which number is *displayed*; they do not change what the external number can be used for.

| Behaviour | Automatic **Project number** | **External project number** |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Who creates it | Manor, automatically | A user, manually |
| Can it be changed? | No | Yes (added or changed) |
| Can it be cleared? | No | Not through the project form |
| Format | Plain sequential integer | Free text (letters, digits, separators) |
| Shown on client-facing documents? | Yes, unless **Project number on client-facing documents** is set to **External identifier** | Only if **Project number on client-facing documents** is set to **External identifier** |
| Searchable? | Yes | Yes (start of the value) |
| Used to match imports? | Yes (Matter ID) | No |

> **Tip**: Because the external number is just a reference, choose a convention and stick to it, so the same kind of reference always goes in the same field. If you need to categorise or report on projects, [labels](../management/labels.md) and [custom fields](../management/custom-fields.md) are usually a better fit than encoding the meaning into a number.

## Related Articles

- [Project Number Series](project-number-series.md) — How Manor numbers projects, and how to arrange your own series.
- [Project Creation](project-creation.md) — Creating a project, including the **Advanced project properties** where the field appears.
- [Projects](projects.md) — The portfolio list, including its columns, sorting and filters.
- [Projects (Data)](../data/projects.md) — The firm-wide data view and export of project records.
- [Global Search](../organizing-work/global-search.md) — Finding projects and clients from anywhere.
- [Global Settings](../management/global-settings.md) — Where the **Project settings** group lives.