Hi Louie,

Here is your answer: Generate sequence from code.

It is called sequences in odoo/openerp world :) 
first check that your user has enabled Technical features under user's acces rights

check Setting -> Technical -> Sequences & identifiers -> Sequences
----> here you can find and modify all defined sequences on current database

edit:
as for coded example... 
1. create your own module, models and views in it.
2. in xml file create a custom sequence like:

<openerp>
    <data noupdate="1">
        <record id="some_sequence_type_id" model="ir.sequence.type">
            <field name="name">Name of Sequence Type</field>
            <field name="code">CODE</field>
        </record>
        <record id="some_sequence_id" model="ir.sequence">
            <field name="name">Name of Sequence</field>
            <field name="code">SEQ-CODE</field>
            <field name="prefix">PRE/%(y)s/</field>
            <field name="padding">5</field> <!-- number of zeroes when starting from 1 -.>
            <field name="company_id" eval="False"/>
        </record>
    </data>
</openerp>

3. from your code you can get next seq nubmer like:
...
...     seq_no = self.pool.get('ir.sequence').get(cr, uid, 'SEQ-CODE')

does it help now? 
p.s. 
take a look at create methods in sale, stock invoice models... there name is fetched in simmilar way...