Primary Key Selection Problem

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I am designing a employee information database. I usually keep an auto incremented ID primary key for each table. But there is also a unique employeeID field. Now problem is i want to know choosing a auto incremented primary key is better or choosing a varchar , that the user will give input? This primary key has been used as foreign key in many other tables. I am using MSSQL severe 2008. Please help......

Posted 9-Aug-11 0:56am

Ehtesam Ahmed

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Herman<T>.Instance · Answer 1 · 2011-08-09T01:04:00

Solution 1

autoincrement primary key is better (searching for int is faster than searching for a varchar). This key can be used in other tables in combination with FK and index.
The autoincrement knows how to keep the id unique.

Posted 9-Aug-11 1:04am

Herman<T>.Instance

*dan!sh* · Answer 2 · 2011-08-09T01:14:00

Solution 2

Use a integer column as a key. It should not be a user input. Just because of curiosity, why would user provide input for EmployeeId?

Posted 9-Aug-11 1:14am

dan!sh

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Ehtesam Ahmed 9-Aug-11 7:18am

suppose a roll number of student. when inserting a student info the user have to give input the roll which is the primary key of the table. Is there any problem with that?????

dan!sh 9-Aug-11 7:21am

The column name looks as if it is the primary key for the table. Primary should be system generated. I think you must add another integer column to act as primary key.