Access auto numbers

I have just started using access 2007. I used 2000 in the past. I need help
with handling auto numbers. In my 2000 data base I had a Serial Number field
that I had populated by auto number seeded from a table with a number
starting at 1000. I'm having a problem reconstructing a similar database
using auto number in that field. I can change the format to get the 4 digit
number, but when I run a query to find a certain serial number, I can't find
it unless I enter just the last 3 digits. How can I create a serial number
field starting at 1000 in stead of 1?

I am not up on Visual Basic coding. It would to build the serial number
using the format of the last 2 digits of the year and a 4 digit number, like
09-1001. Can anyone make this simple?