How to update objects after editing custom field list

If you have created a custom field as the list with defined possible values, please be aware that any change you make in the list's possible values will not automatically update existing values in objects (such as Users, Project templates, Activities etc.) until you edit them manually. Therefore, a change in custom field's list of values cannot be used as the shortcut for mass change of saved values in objects.

How to manually update custom field list values and apply them to existing object

1, Go to More → Administration → Custom Fields

2, Select the custom field you want to update

3, Change the possible values of the list and click Save

4, Go to the object with old value and click Edit

5, Select new value of the custom field and click Save

Here is an example

I have created a custom field named "Division" for any user. As shown on the picture below, I made a list of a few possible values to select so I can assign the user with the name of the division the user is currently working for. For instance, user Alena has the custom field set to "Programming" and the same value is assigned to other tens of users working as programmers.

After some time, Programming division has renamed to Development and I need to update the name for all the user profiles in Easy Redmine that had previously worked in Programming division. So, I go to custom field settings and simply rewrite the value Programming to Development and click Save.

However, if I open earlier created user profile of Alena, I see that the old name of the division remained unchanged. Why? Because the new value in custom field's settings doesn't translate into already saved values in objects. Therefore, I have to click Edit on Alena's users profile and select new value from the list manually. The same way I will update the profiles of all the users with outdated custom field value.

If you create a new user and expand the custom field options, you see there is already no more Programming option, but Development instead.