Dynamic variables

This chapter provides information about dynamic variables.

Dynamic variables are placeholders which you can define in your primary template in text fields (for example summary, description). Before a work item is created from a template, dynamic variables are collected from the primary template and an additional form is displayed. It’s the place where you provide values.

While placeholders are collected only in the primary template, they are replaced with provided values both in primary and secondary templates.

Try live demo:

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]

Tip

You can change the order of dynamic variables that are displayed for the end user of your template 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 that were defined only in stories or subtasks aren’t taken into account.

One definition, many usages

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

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. Settings of variables displays:
   a. Start pattern: Type pattern which opens a variable.
   b. End pattern: Type pattern which closes a variable.
   c. Mandatory mark: Type mark which a user should add after the end pattern to make the variable required.
   d. Replace empty option: When switched on, if a variable is optional, and the value is not provided, replace the variable placeholder with an empty string (for example: text: “City {{ cityVariable }} is optional” becomes “City is optional“)

Dynamic variables in Automation

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