# Recognise UUID formats and repeated values

Inspect compact and hyphenated forms, identify a repeated UUID and read a refusal for a different kind of identifier.

Source: https://help.smartfact.ai/guidbench/guides/inspect-uuid

Audience: Operator

Inspect compact and hyphenated forms, identify a repeated UUID and read a refusal for a different kind of identifier. This is isolated practice with invented records. Nothing is uploaded or written into a live system.

## Recognise UUID formats and repeated values

1. **Open UUID inspection**

   Open UUID inspection.

   Inspection reads a value’s structure. It does not verify who generated it or whether another system has used it.

2. **Enter two representations of one UUID**

   Enter two representations of one UUID.

   A compact UUID has 32 hexadecimal digits. Hyphens do not change which UUID it represents.

3. **Check the structures and repetition**

   Check the structures and repetition.

   Both values pass the structure check, but they name the same UUID. Review the repeated-value count.

4. **Enter an order reference**

   Enter an order reference.

   An order reference is not a UUID. Do not add characters or remove parts just to make the inspector accept it.

5. **Read the structure refusal**

   Read the structure refusal.

   The tool refuses the value instead of inventing a UUID from it. Check the expected identifier type with the receiving application.

[Watch or practise this chapter](https://help.smartfact.ai/guidbench/demo?guide=inspect-uuid&chapter=inspect-uuid&audience=office)

Review the result and its limits before using it in another application.