How Do I Change an Employee's Name?
This article covers the steps needed for a Department IT Coordinator (DITC) to change an employee's name.
The very first step is for the employee to update their name with the relevant Human Resources department. DITCs will not be able to update the employee's name on their email account or phone until this step is completed.
Each Human Resources department on campus may have different steps for the employee to complete. Visit their website or contact them for more information.
What if their legal name did not change?
That's okay! The employee will want to check with the relevant Human Resources department to see if they can update their preferred name. Although preferred name is not sent over to Account Management, it's best to have this step done prior to the DITC updating their information in Account Management.
If the employee plans on getting a legal name change later (or is in the process), it may be easier to wait until that process is complete, but there are a lot of reasons why an employee may not want to wait until then. They just need to know that DITCs can only update their Display Name, not their First/Last Name (legal name) in Account Management.
Please note that although these are the general guidelines for names, campus IT understands the need for leeway when it comes to having an employee's preferred name in Outlook. You can always reach out to [email protected] with questions about updating names and to inquire about special arrangements.
Background information on legal names, display names, and Human Resources databases
Changing an Employee's Name and Username/Email Address
When an employee's name changes, their email account username/email address will often need to be updated to match their new name.
For example, if Tuffy changes their name to Robin Titan, their email account should be updated to [email protected] (or [email protected] or similar) so it matches the email account naming convention. Or if Tuffy changes their name to Tuffy Smith, their email account should be updated to [email protected] (or [email protected] or similar) to match the naming convention.
However, if Tuffy changes their name to Tuffy Titan-Smith, they have the option of updating their email account to [email protected] (or a variation of that) or keeping their current email account as [email protected].
What Happens When an Employee's Email Account Username/Email Address Changes?
Typically, when you submit a request to change an employee's email account username, the Account Management/Identity Management (IDM) team will not process the change until after 5pm to avoid disrupting the employee's work day. DITCs can also email [email protected] after submitting the request if there is a specific day/time you and the employee would like for the change to happen. The employee's password will not change.
The following day, the employee should log on to their laptop/computer with their new username and current password which will generate a new profile on their laptop/computer. The employee may then need to work with the IT Help Desk or a local department tech to move their files from their old profile to their new profile (e.g., if Tuffy uses a Windows PC, they will need to move their Documents from C:\Users\tuffytitan\Documents to C:\Users\tuffysmith\Documents). Some applications may also need to be updated or reinstalled to work on the new profile.
The "housekeeping" that is needed to get the employee back up and running may take some time, so it's recommended that the employee sets aside a few hours for the process.
Please note that when an employee's email account username/email address is changed, their password does NOT change. They can continue to use the same password.
What if the Employee Doesn't Want to Change Their Username/Email Address?
Technically speaking, they don't need to change their username/email address, but it may cause some confusion. For example, if Tuffy is now Tuffy Smith and they introduce themselves as Tuffy Smith, it may be confusing for them to explain that their email address is [email protected].
However, if Tuffy keeps their Display Name as Tuffy Titan and only their First Name/Last Name is set to their new legal name, there will be less confusion.
And of course, an employee can change their mind and request to update their username later.
Some systems such as Dropbox, Qualtrics, and Adobe may need to be updated manually with the employee's updated name. Open a ticket with the Help Desk to request that these systems be updated if the employee's name is not automatically updated within a few days of the email account being updated.
Need More Help?
Contact the IT Help Desk at [email protected] or 657-278-7777.
You are done. Great job!