Component "Names" in Component Libraries

[ashscott]

I have created a component library that has three main attributes that need to be a part of the component for processing purposes.

1. A unique component ID that changes everytime a component is made unique. For this I have used "Description" so that everytime the user hits "Make Unique" the component ID number in "Description" automatically gets appended with #1,#2 etc ensuring that every unique component his it's own unique number.
2. A constant lookup ID that stays the same no matter whether the user hits "Make Unique" or not so that when a report is generated, this number can be used to VLOOKUP another Excel master list to find the additional info for the component irrespective of how it has been changed by the user. I have put this constant ID as a DC attribute because "Name" seems to get wiped everytime I bring a component from the library into a new model (very frustrating).
3. A common name so that the user can immediately see a description of what they are dealing with - I don't want this to be a DC attribute as that would require the user having the DC dialogue open which is unnecessarily complicated. However, putting this information as the component's "Name" under 'entity info' results in the info getting wiped everytime a bring the component into a new model via the components browser.

Does anyone have experience with this and can give me advice how to simplify things and make it as user friendly as possible?