Staff Name Change

[Nick_Parker]

Hi Guys

I have an interesting question here for you,
We have a staff member who would like to have her first name changed on the system, she's decided she would like to go by her traditional name instead of her christian name.

The way our accounts work is: firstinitialsurname, so mine would be nparker.
this is also the case for their home folders and email addresses.

What is the easiest way to make the change?

Create a new account and move all her documents and email across?

Rename her account? then how do i go about renaming her email account/address?

Thanks guys!

[bossman]

Create new account and move all work over it's the most effective way but this would depend on how her e-mail is linked to her account, would it be that simple a task?

[webman]

If you have any test staff accounts, try renaming one of those and see what affects it has on various things - group membership, scripts, security/file permissions, and email.

[Spitfire]

Simply rename the account if you're using AD, rename home folder and profile not forgetting to do the security permissions. If you're using Exchange then add the new e-mail address and make it the primary, they'll then get all the e-mails including those sent to the old address. If you have an Exchange server then it can all be done there.

[RabbieBurns]

surely logging in as her old msmith rather than new esmith shouldn't really be an issue for her? Just change her display name.

[SteveBentley]

Do you have to change the username at all? Would be safer to just change display names (the cosmetic bits) and set up an email alias for the new format so that the new and old versions continue to work.

That's how it's done here when people get married etc, although I don't look after that side of things so there could be more to it.

[Spitfire]

If you don't change the user name etc then you can end up with "irate staff" especially those that have "seperated or divorced", I know from experience here in our College.

[Nick_Parker]

Thanks guys, I'm going to try a straight rename with a test account and see how it goes...
Spitfire, thanks for the suggestion about the 2nd email address, didn't think of that!

[somabc]

staff do get irate if you will not change their username, it can lead to this sort of conversation -

Me: "I have changed your email address and display name, please logon with your usual username."

Staff Member: "But that's not my name anymore!"

Me: "Yes but its still your username"

Staff Member: "But that's not my name anymore!"

Me: "Well it does not make difference does it you are only using it to logon to the computer , no-one else knows or cares what your username is"

Staff Member: "But I don't want to use that name anymore"

Me: "Sigh ... alright I will create you a new user account then"