How to convert a 24ch alpha-numeric string into a ~5ch code for easy txt-ing

[Andrew Sweney]

I have a system that generates a 24ch alpha-numeric string as a tracking number. An example looks like this - 189824000163150 1AKL003HS.

This is great for what it does (there is information embedded in that string that tells me stuff that I need to know).

However, when a customer tries to use an IVR or web site to self service (a tracking enquiry) the number is way too long and prone to error when being entered via DTMF, Speech recognition or even when entered into a website.

Ideally I want to convert the number to something really easy to txt and print that on the label. A ~5ch Alpha code would be ideal, alpha-numeric is OK to.

Obviously I need to be able to embed the encode and decode code in websites and databases so that I can find the "real" number in my dB.

Please dont get too technical with me - I'm not a programmer - but I do know how stuff works (generally). I need some ideas that I can pass to a developer to go make it work.

[Rabbit]

Well, you must be generating that number using some sort of algorithm. Just use a similar algorithm to generate a 5 character code as well. Of course you will have to start reusing codes at some point but if you use all the alphanumeric characters, then that's 60.4 million codes. If you allow for lower and upper case, then that's 916 million codes.

[franknagy]

Split the long alphanumeric string into small fragments which can you explain with other words.
189824000163150 1AKL003HS
1898|24|0001|63 1501AKL003HS
1898 = Year of war US-Spain.
24 = hours in a day.
1000 = reverse thousand.
63 = two digit year when J. F. Kennedy killed.
1501 = The year when Cardano was born who invented the formula the solution of of the third degree equations.
AKL = First 3 letters of the title hero of an Hungarian novel. [Akli Miklós.]
003 = reverse three hundred.
HS = High seas or hydrogen sulfide.
I hope this helps.
Frank