I've created a small but somewhat complex relational database that uses
autonumber fields in higher level tables as primary keys to link with foreign
keys in lower level tables. At this point I have up to 5 levels of tables.
I'd like to copy this database for use at 4 other remote sites, with the
ultimate intention of merging all 5 back together after a few months of data
entry. I've read quite a bit about how to merge databases that weren't
originally designed with future merges in mind, and this ends up being quite
complex with so many levels and autonumber-dependent tables. I'm wondering if
there is a way that I can create the duplicate databases from the outset that
would make future merging easier?

For instance, by causing the autonumbers at each different site to either
start at a particular point (e.g., one site be the 100000s and another the
200000s), or, by using the "random" setting for autonumber such that no two
autonumbers in the same table were identical (although my sense is that
"random" introduces its own problems).

Any thoughts on how to make the future merge easier would be helpful.

Thanks

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