Creating Incident Numbers 
When you create nonconformance clients in NC Client Maintenance, you can allow operators to enter incident numbers by choosing Manual in the Incident Number field on the Main tab page. If you choose Manual, operators must enter an incident number in the POD when they log an NC with a primary NC code.
If you choose Automatic in the Incident Number field, the system automatically generates the incident number based on the numbering pattern you define with the Incident Number number type in Next Number Maintenance.
Note
If operators enter incident numbers manually, the system verifies that the number matches the numbering pattern defined in Next Number Maintenance.
Incident Numbers and Archiving
It is possible for one incident number to span multiple SFC numbers and multiple nonconformances of the same SFC number. It is also possible for one SFC number to include multiple incident numbers. When you archive SFC numbers, the system archives both the SFC number and its assigned incident number at the same time. If the incident number is assigned to another SFC number, the system archives only the SFC number.