--- title: "Primary Value" description: "Understanding Primary Value in NocoDB!" position: 580 category: "Product" menuTitle: "Primary Value" --- ## What is a Primary Value ? - Primary value as the name stands is the primary or main value within a row of a table that you generally associate that row with. - It should be usually associated with a column which is uniquely identifiable. However, this uniqueness is not enforced at the database level. ## What is the use of Primary Value ? - Within a spreadsheet, primary value are always highlighted so that it is easier to recognise what row we are in. - And when LinkToAnotherRecord is created between two tables - it is the primary value that appears in LinkToAnotheRecord column. #### Example : Primary Value highlighted in Actor table <img width="646" alt="image" src="https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/35857179/189114321-58ebaa16-20e2-4615-abda-39417a5df5bf.png"> #### Example : Primary Value highlighted in Film table <img width="643" alt="image" src="https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/35857179/189114462-a7fef0e2-f9ac-4943-98d5-fee9f60a4ab5.png"> #### Example : Primary Value associated when LinkToAnotherRecord is created <img width="311" alt="image" src="https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/35857179/189114548-193acc4d-f714-4204-a560-97668db7884c.png"> ## How to set Primary Value ? Click down arrow in the target column. Click `Set as Primary Value`. <img width="251" alt="image" src="https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/35857179/189114857-b452aa6b-5cdb-4a74-9980-cb839d7d15fd.png"> ## How is Primary Value identfied for existing database tables ? - It is usually the first column after the primary key which is not a number. - If there is no column which is not a number then the column adjacent to primary key is chosen. ## Can I change the Primary Value to another column within tables ? - Yes, you can use the same way mentioned above to set Primary Value.