What is the common approach? Should I use directly the product_code as my ID, or use a sequantial number for speed? (I did the same for the company_id, this is a 'serial' and not the shor name of the customer. I just don't know what is usually done.
Use a serial :
- you can change product_code for a product easily
- you can pass around integers easier around, in web forms for instance, you don't have to ask 'should I escape this string ?'
- it's faster
- it uses less space
- if one day you must manage products from another source whose product_code overlap yours, you won't have problems
- you can generate them with a serial uniquely and easily
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