diff --git a/docs/swagger.yaml b/docs/swagger.yaml
index 3fc88ec2..d8c6a839 100644
--- a/docs/swagger.yaml
+++ b/docs/swagger.yaml
@@ -4939,8 +4939,11 @@ definitions:
       terms:
         type: array
         items:
-          type: number
-          format: integer
+          type: string
+      groups:
+        type: array
+        items:
+          type: string
       external:
         type: object
         description: 'READ-ONLY, OPTIONAL. Refernce to external task/issue.'
@@ -5070,8 +5073,11 @@ definitions:
       terms:
         type: array
         items:
-          type: number
-          format: integer
+          type: string
+      groups:
+        type: array
+        items:
+          type: string
       name:
         type: string
         description: project name
@@ -5254,7 +5260,7 @@ definitions:
       type:
         type: string
         description: The attachment type, one of 'link' or 'file'
-        enum: 
+        enum:
          - link
          - file
       tags:
@@ -6133,7 +6139,7 @@ definitions:
     type: array
     items:
       $ref: '#/definitions/Milestone'
-      
+
   MilestoneTemplateRequest:
     title: Milestone template request object
     type: object
diff --git a/migrations/20212201_project_terms_update_type.sql b/migrations/20212201_project_terms_update_type.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6af47aad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20212201_project_terms_update_type.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+-- UPDATE EXISTING projects table
+--     modify column `terms`
+
+-- drop existent column first to avoid any issues during type convertion as we don't need the data if there is any
+ALTER TABLE projects DROP COLUMN "terms";
+-- now create a column with a new type
+ALTER TABLE projects ADD COLUMN "terms" character varying(255)[] NOT NULL DEFAULT ARRAY[]::character varying[]::character varying(255)[];
diff --git a/migrations/20212401_project_add_groups_field.sql b/migrations/20212401_project_add_groups_field.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..38c65b89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20212401_project_add_groups_field.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+-- UPDATE EXISTING projects table
+--     add column `groups`
+
+ALTER TABLE projects ADD COLUMN "groups" character varying(255)[] NOT NULL DEFAULT ARRAY[]::character varying[]::character varying(255)[];
diff --git a/src/events/projects/index.js b/src/events/projects/index.js
index 07c91986..a3db47c5 100644
--- a/src/events/projects/index.js
+++ b/src/events/projects/index.js
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ const projectPayloadSchema = Joi.object().keys({
   id: Joi.number().integer().positive().required(),
   createdAt: Joi.date().required(),
   updatedAt: Joi.date().required(),
-  terms: Joi.array().items(Joi.number().positive()).optional(),
+  terms: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).optional(),
+  groups: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).optional(),
   name: Joi.string().required(),
   description: Joi.string().allow(null).allow('').optional(),
   type: Joi.string().max(45).required(),
diff --git a/src/models/project.js b/src/models/project.js
index 9d3b39f4..b9191dcd 100644
--- a/src/models/project.js
+++ b/src/models/project.js
@@ -16,7 +16,12 @@ module.exports = function defineProject(sequelize, DataTypes) {
     estimatedPrice: { type: DataTypes.DECIMAL(10, 2), allowNull: true },
     actualPrice: { type: DataTypes.DECIMAL(10, 2), allowNull: true },
     terms: {
-      type: DataTypes.ARRAY(DataTypes.INTEGER),
+      type: DataTypes.ARRAY(DataTypes.STRING),
+      allowNull: false,
+      defaultValue: [],
+    },
+    groups: {
+      type: DataTypes.ARRAY(DataTypes.STRING),
       allowNull: false,
       defaultValue: [],
     },
diff --git a/src/routes/projects/create.js b/src/routes/projects/create.js
index a7b7cd71..00b61ced 100644
--- a/src/routes/projects/create.js
+++ b/src/routes/projects/create.js
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ const createProjectValidations = {
     })).optional().allow(null),
     estimatedPrice: Joi.number().precision(2).positive().optional()
       .allow(null),
-    terms: Joi.array().items(Joi.number().positive()).optional(),
+    terms: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).optional(),
+    groups: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()).optional(),
     external: Joi.object().keys({
       id: Joi.string(),
       type: Joi.any().valid('github', 'jira', 'asana', 'other'),
diff --git a/src/routes/projects/update.js b/src/routes/projects/update.js
index 311f1831..70ed8e6d 100644
--- a/src/routes/projects/update.js
+++ b/src/routes/projects/update.js
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ const updateProjectValdiations = {
     status: Joi.any().valid(_.values(PROJECT_STATUS)),
     estimatedPrice: Joi.number().precision(2).positive().allow(null),
     actualPrice: Joi.number().precision(2).positive(),
-    terms: Joi.array().items(Joi.number().positive()),
+    terms: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()),
+    groups: Joi.array().items(Joi.string()),
     external: Joi.object().keys({
       id: Joi.string(),
       type: Joi.any().valid('github', 'jira', 'asana', 'other'),
diff --git a/src/routes/projects/update.spec.js b/src/routes/projects/update.spec.js
index 24c9e9a5..6ac5c481 100644
--- a/src/routes/projects/update.spec.js
+++ b/src/routes/projects/update.spec.js
@@ -983,7 +983,7 @@ describe('Project', () => {
             Authorization: `Bearer ${testUtil.jwts.admin}`,
           })
           .send({
-            terms: [1, 2, 3],
+            terms: ['1', '2', '3'],
           })
           .expect(200)
           .end((err) => {
@@ -996,7 +996,7 @@ describe('Project', () => {
                 createEventSpy.calledWith(BUS_API_EVENT.PROJECT_UPDATED, sinon.match({
                   resource: 'project',
                   id: project1.id,
-                  terms: [1, 2, 3],
+                  terms: ['1', '2', '3'],
                   updatedBy: testUtil.userIds.admin,
                 })).should.be.true;
 
diff --git a/src/utils/es-config.js b/src/utils/es-config.js
index 24357857..5144c510 100644
--- a/src/utils/es-config.js
+++ b/src/utils/es-config.js
@@ -320,7 +320,10 @@ MAPPINGS[ES_PROJECT_INDEX] = {
       index: 'not_analyzed',
     },
     terms: {
-      type: 'integer',
+      type: 'string',
+    },
+    groups: {
+      type: 'string',
     },
     type: {
       type: 'string',