Can you search for old Jira Keys from an archived Project once issues are migrated to a new Project?

[Krayne Porter]

We have two Projects, and have sometimes moved issues from one to the other. From that experience, I know that the Jira Issue Key updates when the issue is migrated (for example, DEV-1000 changes to TST-2000), but those numbers remained linked in some way; you could still search using the old Issue Key DEV-1000, and Jira will bring up TST-2000.

But we are planning on archiving one of the Projects, and we're moving its issues to the other Project. Will we still be able to search using the old "DEV" Issue Keys, even when that Project has been archived, in the "TST" Project, for issues moved before and during this migration?

[Evgenii · Accepted solution]

Hi, @Krayne Porter 

Archiving a project does not make your issues inaccessible. You can still open and view issues using their direct links.

Additionally, archiving won't affect issues that you've already moved to other projects before the archive. The relationships between issue keys in the database remain intact.

I haven’t tested what happens if a project is fully deleted (and its key becomes unavailable), but that’s not the case in your scenario — so no action is needed there.

[Krayne Porter]

Thank you Evgenii!

[Krayne Porter]

Looks like our plan is to archive the old Project for a year and then delete it, so I'm guessing we'll have to figure out what to do then.

I read some other articles about adding a custom field that contains the old Jira Key so it can be queried even after it is deleted, so I might recommend that during the migration.

[Evgenii]

Then, I think, it's worth to create 2 dummy projects, and check, what will happen when one project is deleted.

[Artem Taranenko]

Hi @Krayne Porter 

Work items have an ID and a Key.

ID acts as Primary Key in database terms. It's unique, static and we don't work with it in the UI.

Key is more like a floating key, and while it is unique, it is tied to project/space and changes if you move the work item.

While we use Key in the UI, system uses ID for many things and preserves referential integrity despite key changes because ID is immutable.

Search is actually not one of those things where integrity is preserved via ID, and if you move DEV-1000 and it becomes TST-2000, you will not find TST-2000 by searching DEV-1000. You might find comments that say 'DEV-1000' as a string where they exist, but they may not necessarily be in TST-2000.

[Evgenii]

Hi, @Artem Taranenko 

If you'll search for DEV-1000, it will return you TST-2000.
It's root logic of preserving history of issue key changes.
That's what @Krayne Porter is writing in his post:

you could still search using the old Issue Key DEV-1000, and Jira will bring up TST-2000.

[Artem Taranenko]

yeah, I've just tested it and you're right. quick search of dev-1000 finds test-2000

my mistake