diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 64f68f7f..7587287e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "angular-datatables",
-  "version": "16.0.1",
+  "version": "16.0.0",
   "description": "Angular directive for DataTables",
   "scripts": {
     "build": "npm run clean && npm run compile && npm run bundles && npm run schematics:build",
diff --git a/src/angular-datatables.directive.ts b/src/angular-datatables.directive.ts
index 657b9eb0..9825e944 100644
--- a/src/angular-datatables.directive.ts
+++ b/src/angular-datatables.directive.ts
@@ -75,9 +75,13 @@ export class DataTableDirective implements OnDestroy, OnInit {
           reject('Both the table and dtOptions cannot be empty');
           return;
         }
-        
+
         // Set a column unique
-        resolvedDTOptions.columns.forEach((col: ADTColumns, i: number) => col.id = i);
+        resolvedDTOptions.columns.forEach(col => {
+          if ((col.id ?? '').trim() === '') {
+            col.id = this.getColumnUniqueId();
+          }
+        });
 
         // Using setTimeout as a "hack" to be "part" of NgZone
         setTimeout(() => {
@@ -142,4 +146,17 @@ export class DataTableDirective implements OnDestroy, OnInit {
       this.renderer.appendChild(cellFromIndex, instance.rootNodes[0]);
     });
   }
+
+  private getColumnUniqueId(): string {
+    let result = '';
+    const characters = 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789';
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
+      const randomIndex = Math.floor(Math.random() * characters.length);
+      result += characters.charAt(randomIndex);
+    }
+
+    return result.trim();
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/models/settings.ts b/src/models/settings.ts
index e8fce041..c0834abd 100644
--- a/src/models/settings.ts
+++ b/src/models/settings.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ export interface ADTSettings extends DataTables.Settings {
   columns?: ADTColumns[];
 }
 export interface ADTColumns extends DataTables.ColumnSettings {
-  /** Define a column index */
-  id?: number;
+  /** Define the column's unique identifier */
+  id?: string;
   /** Set instance of Angular pipe to transform the data of particular column */
   ngPipeInstance?: PipeTransform;
   /** Define the arguments for the tranform method of the pipe, to change its behavior */