diff --git a/pyiron_base/database/sqlcolumnlength.py b/pyiron_base/database/sqlcolumnlength.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6813ce24c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyiron_base/database/sqlcolumnlength.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+DEFAULT_STR_LENGTH = 255
+PROJECT_PATH_STR_LENGTH = DEFAULT_STR_LENGTH
+PROJECT_STR_LENGTH = DEFAULT_STR_LENGTH
+JOB_STR_LENGTH = DEFAULT_STR_LENGTH
+SUBJOB_STR_LENGTH = DEFAULT_STR_LENGTH
+CHEMICALFORMULA_STR_LENGTH = 50
+STATUS_STR_LENGTH = 20
+HAMILTON_STR_LENGTH = 20
+HAMVERSION_STR_LENGTH = 50
+USERNAME_STR_LENGTH = 20
+COMPUTER_STR_LENGTH = 100
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pyiron_base/database/tables.py b/pyiron_base/database/tables.py
index c86b6f9ac..152ea8ecd 100644
--- a/pyiron_base/database/tables.py
+++ b/pyiron_base/database/tables.py
@@ -13,6 +13,18 @@
     String,
     Table,
 )
+from pyiron_base.database.sqlcolumnlength import (
+    PROJECT_PATH_STR_LENGTH,
+    PROJECT_STR_LENGTH,
+    JOB_STR_LENGTH,
+    SUBJOB_STR_LENGTH,
+    CHEMICALFORMULA_STR_LENGTH,
+    STATUS_STR_LENGTH,
+    HAMILTON_STR_LENGTH,
+    HAMVERSION_STR_LENGTH,
+    USERNAME_STR_LENGTH,
+    COMPUTER_STR_LENGTH,
+)
 
 __author__ = "Murat Han Celik, Liam Huber"
 __copyright__ = (
@@ -34,16 +46,16 @@ def get_historical_table(table_name, metadata, extend_existing=True):
         Column("id", Integer, primary_key=True, autoincrement=True),
         Column("parentid", Integer),
         Column("masterid", Integer),
-        Column("projectpath", String(255)),
-        Column("project", String(255)),
-        Column("job", String(255)),
-        Column("subjob", String(255)),
-        Column("chemicalformula", String(50)),
-        Column("status", String(20)),
-        Column("hamilton", String(20)),
-        Column("hamversion", String(50)),
-        Column("username", String(20)),
-        Column("computer", String(100)),
+        Column("projectpath", String(PROJECT_PATH_STR_LENGTH)),
+        Column("project", String(PROJECT_STR_LENGTH)),
+        Column("job", String(JOB_STR_LENGTH)),
+        Column("subjob", String(SUBJOB_STR_LENGTH)),
+        Column("chemicalformula", String(CHEMICALFORMULA_STR_LENGTH)),
+        Column("status", String(STATUS_STR_LENGTH)),
+        Column("hamilton", String(HAMILTON_STR_LENGTH)),
+        Column("hamversion", String(HAMVERSION_STR_LENGTH)),
+        Column("username", String(USERNAME_STR_LENGTH)),
+        Column("computer", String(COMPUTER_STR_LENGTH)),
         Column("timestart", DateTime),
         Column("timestop", DateTime),
         Column("totalcputime", Float),
diff --git a/pyiron_base/jobs/job/util.py b/pyiron_base/jobs/job/util.py
index 0bb0e6fcb..e5629c5c8 100644
--- a/pyiron_base/jobs/job/util.py
+++ b/pyiron_base/jobs/job/util.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 from typing import Optional, Union
 from pyiron_base.utils.instance import static_isinstance
 from pyiron_base.utils.safetar import safe_extract
+from pyiron_base.database.sqlcolumnlength import JOB_STR_LENGTH
 
 __author__ = "Jan Janssen"
 __copyright__ = (
@@ -208,10 +209,9 @@ def _is_valid_job_name(job_name):
         raise ValueError(
             f'Invalid name for a pyiron object, must be letters, digits (not as first character) and "_" only, not {job_name}'
         )
-    if len(job_name) > 50:
+    if len(job_name) > JOB_STR_LENGTH:
         raise ValueError(
-            "Invalid name for a PyIron object: must be less then or "
-            "equal to 50 characters"
+            f"Invalid name for a PyIron object: must be less then or equal to {JOB_STR_LENGTH} characters"
         )
 
 
diff --git a/pyiron_base/state/update.py b/pyiron_base/state/update.py
index 9fb0a5837..ee7bfe5b5 100644
--- a/pyiron_base/state/update.py
+++ b/pyiron_base/state/update.py
@@ -7,6 +7,18 @@
 """
 
 from pyiron_base.state import state
+from pyiron_base.database.sqlcolumnlength import (
+    PROJECT_PATH_STR_LENGTH,
+    PROJECT_STR_LENGTH,
+    JOB_STR_LENGTH,
+    SUBJOB_STR_LENGTH,
+    CHEMICALFORMULA_STR_LENGTH,
+    STATUS_STR_LENGTH,
+    HAMILTON_STR_LENGTH,
+    HAMVERSION_STR_LENGTH,
+    USERNAME_STR_LENGTH,
+    COMPUTER_STR_LENGTH,
+)
 
 __author__ = "Joerg Neugebauer, Jan Janssen"
 __copyright__ = (
@@ -31,24 +43,24 @@ def database():
     try:
         if "projectPath".lower() not in db.get_table_headings(db.table_name):
             print("add missing column: " + "projectPath")
-            db.add_column(col_name="projectPath", col_type="varchar(255)")
+            db.add_column(col_name="projectPath", col_type="varchar(" + PROJECT_PATH_STR_LENGTH + ")")
         if "subJob".lower() not in db.get_table_headings(db.table_name):
             print("add missing column: " + "subJob")
-            db.add_column(col_name="subJob", col_type="varchar(255)")
+            db.add_column(col_name="subJob", col_type="varchar(" + SUBJOB_STR_LENGTH + ")")
         else:
             print("change data type of subJob")
-            db.change_column_type(col_name="subJob", col_type="varchar(255)")
+            db.change_column_type(col_name="subJob", col_type="varchar(" + SUBJOB_STR_LENGTH + ")")
         if "masterID".lower() not in db.get_table_headings(db.table_name):
             print("add missing column: " + "masterid")
             db.add_column(col_name="masterid", col_type="bigint")
 
         if "hamversion" in db.get_table_headings(db.table_name):
             print("change data type hamversion")
-            db.change_column_type(col_name="hamversion", col_type="varchar(50)")
+            db.change_column_type(col_name="hamversion", col_type="varchar(" + HAMVERSION_STR_LENGTH + ")")
 
         if "job" in db.get_table_headings(db.table_name):
             print("change data type job")
-            db.change_column_type(col_name="job", col_type="varchar(50)")
+            db.change_column_type(col_name="job", col_type="varchar(" + JOB_STR_LENGTH + ")")
         print(db.table_name, " - database successful updated")
     except ValueError:
         print(db.table_name, " - database failed")