CLM_ID -- storeable as number or is it truly varchar?

[Jacob Halpert]

Hello Liani and Team,

We have noticed through extensive use of both CCLF and BB production data that the clm_id field has been consistently specified in the Information Packet and BB guidance as being of type Varchar(15), however we have yet to see any cases where the value doesn't conform to number, which would be a much more efficient way for us to store and access the field of course, vs. Varchar(15).  Do you know if we are safe to store clm_id as an integer type, or are there any edge cases that we should be aware of that require us to leave the field as Varchar(15)?

Best,

Jake

[Karl Davis]

Jacob,

Our upstream data sources report to us that it's a string, so -- even though all the data we currently have is numeric (I think -- been a while since I've checked) -- we cannot make any guarantees that that will always remain the case. I'd leave as text in your DB, if I were you.

Best regards,

Karl M. Davis, BCDA, etc. team