---
title: "Can I change the version number pattern in an existing project?"
description: "It is strongly recommended to establish a consistent version numbering pattern at the beginning of a project and avoid changing it once the project is active. Changing the version number pattern in a non-empty project can have significant effects on how versions are associated with item records."
category: "Frequently Asked Questions"
section: "Advanced Settings"
keywords: ["number pattern", "version number", "changing", "versions", "version numbering", "change", "records", "associated"]
source_url: "https://support.ketryx.com/hc/en-us/articles/38906394897037-Can-I-change-the-version-number-pattern-in-an-existing-project"
last_reviewed: 2026-06-11
---

# Can I change the version number pattern in an existing project?

> **In short:** It is strongly recommended to establish a consistent version numbering pattern at the beginning of a project and avoid changing it once the project is active. Changing the version number pattern in a non-empty project can have significant effects on how versions are associated with item records.

It is strongly recommended to establish a consistent version numbering pattern at the **beginning** of a project and **avoid changing** **it** once the project is active.

**Changing the version number pattern** in a **non-empty project** can have **significant effects** on how versions are associated with item records. While in some cases the change may be safe (particularly if precautions are taken, such as using _Uncontrolled_ fields for related version fields), several risks need to be considered:

- Items with **Introduced in version** or **Obsolete in version** (or their implications) may be impacted.

- If the new version pattern alters the **relative ordering** of versions (e.g., changing how past versions are sequenced), it can cause wide-reaching issues. In some cases, these issues may only be resolved by a database change.

For this reason, **we recommend defining a clear and sustainable version numbering pattern before versions are created in your project.**

**If you need flexibility after versions have been created,** the safest approach is to keep the underlying version number pattern unchanged and rename versions in Release settings after they are created. Renaming changes only the display label of a version, without altering how it is internally associated with item records. See [here](https://docs.ketryx.com/reference/advanced-settings#version-number-pattern) for more information regarding pattern for version names.

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