Jira issue introduction

In Jira system our daily activities are around issues and issue templates (if you want to change the list of fields). We create new issues from the board perspective or issue navigator within selected projects.

It is obvious that we should understand what every field of the issue has the meaning and how to use it. This article is entirely dedicated show to play with issues and how to configure your own defined fields to improve the process in your projects.

Creating new issue

We start adding new issue by clicking button Create from the board perspective.

In the next step we should see Create Issue window that allows us to select different issue parameters. We analize all the fields step by step in the next section.

Issue fields details

Jira systems enables us some predefined and mostly used fields we can use in issue creation. You can use all the fields or a substet of them.

Let’s take a closer look at what each defined field means:

  Project – every time you create issue you need to selected for which project the issue will be assigned to. You see only the projects you have access to.

  Issue Type – you can choose from some prefedined values: Story, Epic, Bug, Task. It is always possible to define own set of issue types.

  Summary – type here short description of the issue that will be clear for all members of the teamt

  Reporter – is a user that reports the issue, in general this is a person that will be responsible to monitor the execution of the issue

Components – if your project contains componens you can select one. Components allows you to divide your project into some logical parts. It is usefull when your project is too huge.

  Description – this field is the place where you should type all information needed to finalize the issue. You can type text, drag and drop interesting files and graphics.

Fix Version/s – when you version your project you can select one of the available versions that you create issue for

  Priority – you can assign prority to your issue. In the list you have such possible values: Lowest, Low, High, Highest.

Labels – when you create cyclic issue that are connected to the same area it is usefull to label such issues. You can create many labels for one issue. This mechanism will allow you filter issues by different labels in you future reports.

  Linked Issue and Issue fields are usefull when you want to save correlation between any existing issue and your being created issue

  Assignee – is a user that issue is assigned to him to be solved. Only one user can be assigned to the issue, but like you see in the later part of the article you can create your own field joined with any user

Epic Link – allows to group you list of issues in one epic issue

  Sprint – every issue should be assigned to the sprint or a backlog

Show fields issue

You can define what fields can be used from available ones in your issues. This is possible to define such subset of fields differently for every project.

In order to change the list of fields you need to click in issue window Configure Fields button and select fields that you are interested in:

You can select within such options:

All – this option select all fields

Custom – this option allows you to select your fields

Creating new field

Sometimes there is a need to define your own field when existing fields are not fully functional for your project. This operation is possible in Jira system.

In order to start defining new issue field you need to go to Project settings:

In the next step you should select Fields position in the left sidebar menu. This will show you the list of all defined lists in the project you are in.

You can select from Actions option Edit fields or just click in main menu option Settings -> Issues

This will provide you to the Issue administration panel. Let’s click in the left sidebar option Custom fields.

In the Custom fields subpage click the button Add custom field.

You should see the popup window like below with list of off base types of fields available in Jira system. Select for example User Picker (single user) from all available options:

You will see the next popup window in which you need to type:

Name – this is the name of your new field

Description – this is the short information about the field.

Type some simple name and description and click Create button.

You will be asked if you want to update existing projects and default Jira issue scheme for all projects that will be create in the future.

Select all options or only these that you are interested in it and click Update button.

Now in the list of fields in the system you should see your new field Responsible user.

Setting your defined field

When you go back to your project let’s create new issue again. In the Configure Fields you should see your new field. Select the option near by Responsible user.

You can see that the field is visible in your issue and the is the result we wanted to achieve.