Steps involved to change a project name

Paul MacKenzie

I have seen some posts about changing the name of a project, which can be done in the project settings, but I would like a kind of checklist of things to do if a project has been in place for a while when we decide to change its name.

Let we have a project called Acme Building Codes, with key ABC.  This project could have one or more boards, and several issues at various stages of completion, as well as epics, etc.

Now management wants to call it Demax Excavation Files, with key DEF, with no trace of the old name afterwards.

What steps are required to change everything in this project to the new name?  Some of the changes might be automatic following the change to the project name and key in the project settings, while others might require changes manually.

I am guessing that I would need to

1. manually change the project name and key in the project settings
2. manually change the name and filter of each board
3. manually change each and every existing issue in the project, completed or not, so ABC-1 and ABC-2 should be DEF-1 and DEF-2, etc.

Is there anything else, and are there any problems or limitations that might prevent this from working?

Joseph Chung Yin

@Paul MacKenzie -

Hi Paul:

After changing an existing project name and project key, you should always ask the content owner/team to change the following items as needed -

1) Project's administrator role member can change the project name, but one will need system admin right to change the project key.

2) The project key update will automatically change all existing issues key association to the new key.  No manual effort is required.

3) Project team should update any existing filter query (i.e. saved JQL queries that has hard-coded issue key or project name references) to reflect the new project key and the project name. 

4) All existing issue links will still work where when access it will automatically direct the user to the issue associated with the new key without any manual action required.  This is because the internal project id stored in the backend DB remains the same + the data will also stored the previous project key reference in the DB.

5) Ensure communication is done to all interested users/customers that the project name/project key change actions have taken place.

6) The previous project key can no longer be used for any new project since it is now associated with data stored in the backend DB.

Although, it is not a good practice to change the project name/project key (especially the project key) after the project has been created and in used for some time frame.  Atlassian has made this type of project configuration change straightforward and simple.

Hope this helps.

Best, Joseph Chung Yin

Jira/JSM Functional Lead, Global Infrastructure Applications Team

Viasat Inc.