How should a canonical identity record change when an entity's name, type, owner or status changes?

In plain language

When a house changes hands, you do not pretend the old deed never existed. You keep the dates of the former and current states and the document proving the transfer. An identity record should show the present without erasing the past.

Why this matters

Without history, a correction, renaming, merger, closure or birth of a new entity can be confused with another event. Systems using older information cannot understand why the change occurred.

Do not confuse

• A spelling correction and a real-world change are different.
• A name change does not always create a new entity.
• A merger or split may require new identity relationships, not only a field update.

What should you do?

1. Classify the type of change.
2. Record the former and new values, effective date and evidence.
3. Decide whether the stable identity continues.
4. Create a propagation list for HTML, structured data, JSON and external records.
5. After the update, perform a read-back and conflict test.

How do you audit it?

• Can the former state still be seen historically?
• Is there a record approving and proving the change?
• Was an old identity wrongly continued when a new entity was required?
• Were all surfaces updated?
• Is there a correct redirect or relationship from the old URL and identity?