Dynamic Variables - Basic

This chapter describes the Basic dynamic variables syntax and available field types.

Basic dynamic variables are placeholders you type directly into template text fields (for example, summary or description) using a bracket syntax. No configuration screen is needed. When a user creates a work item from the template, a form is displayed where they fill in values for each variable.

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For example, you can configure a template like this:

Which results in:

Employee name: [Employee name]*

Starts on: [Start date:date]*

Position: [Position | Developer | Writer | UX | Tester | Product owner]*

Manager: [Manager:user]

Equipment required: [Equipment* | laptop | monitor | monitor x2 | headset ]

Prepare:

[Prepare:paragraph]

Dynamic variables format

To configure the format of your dynamic placeholders:

1. Go to Apps → Manage your Apps → Issue Templates for Jira → Configuration → Variables and select Issue Templates.
2. Click the Variables tab.
3. Select the Dynamic type of variable from the drop-down list.
4. Configure the settings:
   • Start pattern - pattern that opens a variable.
   • End pattern - pattern that closes a variable.
   • Mandatory mark - mark added after the end pattern to make the variable required.
   • Replace empty option - when switched on, optional variables with no value provided are replaced with an empty string (for example, "City {{ cityVariable }} is optional" becomes "City is optional").

One definition, many usages

It’s sufficient to define a variable only once in any field. It can then be referenced by name alone anywhere else in the template. The order doesn’t matter.

Tip

You can change the order of dynamic variables displayed to the end user with drag and drop during the configuration process:

If you define dynamic variables in an epic and use the same variable in a story/subtask, all placeholders are replaced with the provided value. However, variables defined only in stories or subtasks aren’t taken into account.

Field types

There are multiple field types supported by Basic dynamic variables. Using correct formatting, you can define:

• Text field
• Single select
• Multi select
• Date picker
• Date time picker
• User picker
• Number field

You can also use the following built-in variable types by keyword:

Dynamic variables from Jira fields

You can define a dynamic variable using a Jira field key. A variable defined this way has the same name and options as the field on the work item create screen of the target space.

Examples

Components=[:components]

Fix versions=[:fixVersions]

Priority=[:priority]

Checkboxes=[:customfield_11602]

Labels=[:labels]

Assignee=[:assignee]

Due date=[:duedate]

Date Picker=[:customfield_11692]

Date Time Picker=[:customfield_11620]

Description:[:description]

Text Field (multi-line)=[My custom name:customfield_11606]

Issue picker=[variable-name:issue]

Supported types

Most common fields are supported, including system and custom fields.

If a field type matches a supported dynamic variable type, it’s displayed using a dedicated component - for example, the Due date field (:duedate) is displayed as a Date Picker. Otherwise, it’s displayed as a simple text field.

Passing values selected in variables to Jira fields

Use Smart defaults with a variable accessor referencing the variable name or the Jira field name if no custom name was given.

Dynamic variables in Automation

Dynamic variables are supported while creating work items via the issue.templates.automation property. See the Automation chapter for details.