If you want to simulate row Numbers in SQL Server you can generate the row number in a query.
that way you can still have an identity column and still return numbered records.
What ever you do DON'T try to use Row Number to link queries.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/functions/row-number-transact-sql?view=sql-server-ver15
sample:
USE AdventureWorks2012;
GO
SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY SalesYTD DESC) AS Row,
FirstName, LastName, ROUND(SalesYTD,2,1) AS "Sales YTD"
FROM Sales.vSalesPerson
WHERE TerritoryName IS NOT NULL AND SalesYTD <> 0;
It will return :
Row FirstName LastName SalesYTD
--- ----------- ---------------------- -----------------
1 Linda Mitchell 4251368.54
2 Jae Pak 4116871.22
3 Michael Blythe 3763178.17
4 Jillian Carson 3189418.36
5 Ranjit Varkey Chudukatil 3121616.32
6 José Saraiva 2604540.71
7 Shu Ito 2458535.61
8 Tsvi Reiter 2315185.61
9 Rachel Valdez 1827066.71
10 Tete Mensa-Annan 1576562.19
11 David Campbell 1573012.93
12 Garrett Vargas 1453719.46
13 Lynn Tsoflias 1421810.92
14 Pamela Ansman-Wolfe 1352577.13