FC0-U71 Data and Database Fundamentals Practice Question
A small retail company stores customer orders in a relational database. The IT administrator wants each order record to automatically receive a unique number without manual entry when a new order is inserted. Which database feature should be configured to meet this requirement?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse a constraint that validates data, such as CHECK, with a feature that automatically generates unique values, such as AUTO_INCREMENT or IDENTITY.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Set the OrderID column as an AUTO_INCREMENT (or IDENTITY) column.
The requirement is automatic generation of a unique number for each new order. An AUTO_INCREMENT or IDENTITY column is the standard relational database feature that produces a sequential unique value on insert, removing manual entry and preventing duplicates. Other options either require manual input, only validate data, or enforce referential integrity without generating values.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Set the OrderID column as an AUTO_INCREMENT (or IDENTITY) column.
Why this is correct
An AUTO_INCREMENT or IDENTITY column automatically generates a sequential unique number for each new row inserted, eliminating manual entry and preventing duplicates. This directly satisfies the requirement for automatic unique order numbers in a relational database, and it is supported by most relational database management systems as a standard column property.
- ✗
Add a CHECK constraint that verifies the OrderID is numeric.
Why it's wrong here
A CHECK constraint only validates that data meets a condition, such as being numeric, but it does not generate values. It cannot automatically assign a unique number to each new order, so it does not fulfill the requirement for automatic unique identification and would still require manual entry of the OrderID.
- ✗
Define a foreign key on the OrderID column referencing the CustomerID column.
Why it's wrong here
A foreign key enforces referential integrity by requiring values to exist in a referenced table; it does not generate unique values. Using OrderID as a foreign key referencing CustomerID would be semantically wrong and would not provide automatic unique order numbers, so it fails to meet the stated requirement.
- ✗
Create a stored procedure that prompts the user to enter the next order number.
Why it's wrong here
A stored procedure that prompts the user still requires manual input and does not automatically generate a unique number. The scenario specifically asks for automatic assignment without manual entry, so this approach fails to meet the requirement and could still allow duplicate or incorrect order numbers if the user enters a value that already exists.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 988 original FC0-U71 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.