Re-Using User Accounts

[scaiferw]

In order to keep the bloat to a minimum in the user list, I'd like to reuse inactive accounts by simply changing the user information when a new user arrives. Would this be problematic?

[Beth]

It shouldn't be a problem. The reason for different accounts for different users is for accountability. If a user is using another user account, they are now associated with that other user's check ins.

[scaiferw]

Thanks Beth, that's what I was hoping to hear.

In my draft admin guide I've put instructions to ensure the account has no checked out files before re-using it.

Interesting to know however, that the 'new' user will 'inherit' the other user's checkouts.

As I think of it, it suggests that a replacement employee could take over the departing employees work in Vault through this mechanism, would that be correct?

Rob

[Beth]

Vault can't tell that it's a new person when you rename an account. It considers it to be the same user, just with a name updated. The user ID is the same.

The history doesn't track a user name change, therefore the entire history will look like you only had this latest user do the work and/or make any coding errors.

[scaiferw]

OK, thanks. I doubt we'll use it that way though. A departing employees work is more likely to be reassigned than passed along to a direct replacement.

Useful to know a little more about how this works, though.

[Beth]

You're welcome.