How to keep user history (requests, activities and so on) when email changes?

[Cecilia Blumenstock]

Hi! We are using our email address as "User ID" and therefore when the email for any reason changes, we need to create a new user and we lose all history. Is there any way to "merge" both users? Or can anyone say what is the best practice regarding User IDs.

Thank you!

[James Ainsworth]

Hi @Cecilia Blumenstock

Thanks for your post.  There are two other fields that can be used to help identify someone.  As you are using email addresses as the user ID, these can't be changed, but you could add the new email address to the Login ID and/or Employee ID (and also update the email field on the account). Maintaining the original User ID may also help with ensuring existing processes continue to work as well as keeping their history. 

"Best Practice" can be a hard one to say.  Unique scenarios in every organization.  Personally, I'd be looking for something that would never change.  Email address can work well as a unique identifier as there can only be one, but it doesn't allow for change in email format or a name change.  I could suggest using an Employee Number, but I'm sure some organizations may not want to expose this to other users. If you are doing Active Directory imports, this also needs to be considered as you want to make sure there is a link between AD and Hornbill so that updates to a user continue to be applied.

 

[Cecilia Blumenstock]

@James Ainsworth, thanks for the answer!