# Is an index template required when storing 64-bit unsigned integers

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-an-index-template-required-when-storing-64-bit-unsigned-integers/369029>\
**Category:** Elastic Search\
**Created:** [October 17, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-an-index-template-required-when-storing-64-bit-unsigned-integers/369029 "2024-10-17T21:12:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ken\_Rowland](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/ken_rowland/32/138480_2.png) [@Ken\_Rowland](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Ken_Rowland)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-an-index-template-required-when-storing-64-bit-unsigned-integers/369029/1 "2024-10-17T21:12:50Z")

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Hello,  
I am working on a C++ native component that will store metric data in Elastic Search. From what I can tell, dynamic data mapping will not handle unsigned 64-bit numbers. So, my conclusion is that I need an index template in order to ensure the metric value types are correct.

Can anyone confirm this?

Thanks

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![stephenb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/stephenb/32/40856_2.png) [@stephenb](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/stephenb)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2024, 2:11am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-an-index-template-required-when-storing-64-bit-unsigned-integers/369029/2 "2024-10-18T02:11:05Z")

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Hi @Ken_Rowland  
Welcome to the community.

You should always use a template to define your mappings. That is best practice. "Default" Mappings are really just for discovery / dev / test. Anything serious or special.. like your case should have well defined mappings defined in a template.  
Hope that helps.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 15, 2024, 2:11am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/is-an-index-template-required-when-storing-64-bit-unsigned-integers/369029/3 "2024-11-15T02:11:47Z")

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Closed on November 15, 2024, 2:11am UTC

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