diff --git a/server/src/table_definition/handlers/post_table_definition.rs b/server/src/table_definition/handlers/post_table_definition.rs
index d491898..a3cbbac 100644
--- a/server/src/table_definition/handlers/post_table_definition.rs
+++ b/server/src/table_definition/handlers/post_table_definition.rs
@@ -12,14 +12,10 @@ fn is_valid_data_type(dt: &str) -> bool {
 }
 
 fn is_valid_identifier(s: &str) -> bool {
-    let parts: Vec<&str> = s.split('_').collect();
-    
-    parts.len() >= 3 &&
-    parts[0] == "ud" &&
-    parts[1].len() == 4 && 
-    parts[1].chars().all(|c| c.is_ascii_digit()) &&
-    parts[2..].iter().all(|p| !p.is_empty()) &&
-    s.chars().all(|c| c.is_ascii_lowercase() || c.is_ascii_digit() || c == '_')
+    !s.is_empty() &&
+    s.chars().all(|c| c.is_ascii_alphanumeric() || c == '_') &&
+    !s.starts_with('_') &&
+    !s.chars().next().unwrap().is_ascii_digit()
 }
 
 fn sanitize_identifier(s: &str) -> String {
@@ -27,8 +23,9 @@ fn sanitize_identifier(s: &str) -> String {
     let cleaned = s.replace(|c: char| !c.is_ascii_alphanumeric() && c != '_', "")
         .trim()
         .to_lowercase();
-        
-    format!("ud_{}_{}", year, cleaned)
+
+    // Format: "currentyear_tablename"
+    format!("{}_{}", year, cleaned)
 }
 
 pub async fn post_table_definition(
@@ -37,7 +34,7 @@ pub async fn post_table_definition(
 ) -> Result<TableDefinitionResponse, Status> {
     // Validate and sanitize inputs
     let table_name = sanitize_identifier(&request.table_name);
-    if !is_valid_identifier(&table_name) {
+    if !is_valid_identifier(&request.table_name) {
         return Err(Status::invalid_argument("Invalid table name"));
     }
 
@@ -54,11 +51,8 @@ pub async fn post_table_definition(
 
     // Validate linked table if provided
     let linked_table_id;
-    let linked_table_name = request.linked_table_name
-        .as_ref()
-        .map(|lt| sanitize_identifier(lt));
-
-    if let Some(lt_name) = &linked_table_name {
+    if let Some(lt_name) = &request.linked_table_name {
+        // Lookup the table with the EXACT provided name
         let lt_record = sqlx::query!(
             "SELECT id FROM table_definitions
             WHERE profile_id = $1 AND table_name = $2",
@@ -81,7 +75,7 @@ pub async fn post_table_definition(
     let mut columns = Vec::new();
     for col_def in request.columns.drain(..) {
         let col_name = sanitize_identifier(&col_def.name);
-        if !is_valid_identifier(&col_name) {
+        if !is_valid_identifier(&col_def.name) {
             return Err(Status::invalid_argument("Invalid column name"));
         }
         if !is_valid_data_type(&col_def.data_type) {
@@ -93,7 +87,7 @@ pub async fn post_table_definition(
     let mut indexes = Vec::new();
     for idx in request.indexes.drain(..) {
         let idx_name = sanitize_identifier(&idx);
-        if !is_valid_identifier(&idx_name) {
+        if !is_valid_identifier(&idx) {
             return Err(Status::invalid_argument(format!("Invalid index name: {}", idx)));
         }
         indexes.push(idx_name);
@@ -104,7 +98,7 @@ pub async fn post_table_definition(
         &table_name,
         &columns,
         &indexes,
-        linked_table_name.as_deref()
+        request.linked_table_name.as_deref()
     );
 
     // Store definition
@@ -162,12 +156,12 @@ fn generate_table_sql(
 
     if let Some(linked) = linked_table {
         // Extract base name without prefix for relationship
-        let parts: Vec<&str> = linked.splitn(3, '_').collect();
-        let base_name = parts.get(2).unwrap_or(&linked);
-        
+        let parts: Vec<&str> = linked.splitn(2, '_').collect();
+        let base_name = parts.get(1).unwrap_or(&linked); // "profile_table"
+
         system_columns.push(
-            format!("\"{}_id\" BIGINT NOT NULL REFERENCES \"{}\"(id)", 
-                base_name, 
+            format!("\"{}_id\" BIGINT NOT NULL REFERENCES \"{}\"(id)",
+                base_name,
                 linked
             )
         );
@@ -190,17 +184,9 @@ fn generate_table_sql(
     ];
 
     if let Some(linked) = linked_table {
-        let parts: Vec<&str> = linked.splitn(3, '_').collect();
-        let base_name = parts.get(2).unwrap_or(&linked);
+        let parts: Vec<&str> = linked.splitn(2, '_').collect();
+        let base_name = parts.get(1).unwrap_or(&linked);
 
-        system_columns.push(
-            format!("\"{}_id\" BIGINT NOT NULL REFERENCES \"{}\"(id)",
-                base_name,
-                linked
-            )
-        );
-
-        // FIXED: Use base_name instead of linked
         system_indexes.push(format!(
             "CREATE INDEX idx_{}_{}_id ON \"{}\" (\"{}_id\")",
             table_name, base_name, table_name, base_name