Index: elixir/options.py
===================================================================
--- elixir/options.py	(revision 264)
+++ elixir/options.py	(working copy)
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@
     table_options=dict(),
 )
 
+colname_format = '%s_%s'
+
 valid_options = options_defaults.keys() + [
     'metadata',
     'session',
Index: elixir/entity.py
===================================================================
--- elixir/entity.py	(revision 264)
+++ elixir/entity.py	(working copy)
@@ -839,6 +839,10 @@
         return cls.query.get(*args, **kwargs)
     get = classmethod(get)
 
+    def set(self, **kw):
+        for k in kw:
+            setattr(self, k, kw[k])
+
     #-----------------#
     # DEPRECATED LAND #
     #-----------------#
Index: elixir/relationships.py
===================================================================
--- elixir/relationships.py	(revision 264)
+++ elixir/relationships.py	(working copy)
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@
 from sqlalchemy.ext.associationproxy import association_proxy
 
 import sys
+import options
 
 __doc_all__ = []
 
@@ -545,7 +546,7 @@
                 if self.colname:
                     colname = self.colname[key_num]
                 else:
-                    colname = '%s_%s' % (self.name, pk_col.key)
+                    colname = options.colname_format % (self.name, pk_col.key)
 
                 # we can't add the column to the table directly as the table
                 # might not be created yet.