Abstract: A universal tracking system is extremely versatile to permit tracking records in a database for any type of tracking application. A tracking identifier for a database record includes a plurality of fields of equal length. A tracking value, generated for the tracking identifier, tracks relationships among records, such that tracking values are generated to associate one or more fields of a tracking identifier of a first record with one or more fields of a tracking identifier of another record being tracked to the first record. The fields of the tracking identifier are assigned field identifiers to ascribe meanings to the fields to implement tracking systems that track related objects, including objects related in time. Also, field identifiers from one record may be extended to field identifiers of additional records. Numerous tracking schemes supported by the universal tracking system are disclosed. Also, applications for the universal tracking system, including an ISO implementation, are disclosed.