Set of Fields - advanced features

Learn how to modify your template’s scope

Templates use fields or/and custom fields, defined by user. You can decide which fields should be auto-filled or copied into your target issues.

Once you create a set of fields, you can re-use it in other templates.

Steps

To create set of fields:

1. Open your global administration settings.
2. Click Set of fields in Issue Templates section on the left sidebar.
3. Click Add below the list of fields.
   

   

4. Add a name for your new Set of fields.
   

   

5. Add fields to the list.
   

   

6. Choose fields from the multiselect list and click Add.
   

   

Configuration

Here is how you can further configure your set of fields:

• By switching on Read-only, you disable editing specific field after autocomplete.
• While applying template, Overwrite will automatically replace the field’s value in an issue with a value from a template. Turn on the toggle, if you want to use Overwrite for a concrete field.
• With Alternative source feature, you are able to modify source (template) value by using values from parent or another issue. With Alternative Source you are able to modify source field’s value also by adding postfixes and prefixes.

Overwrite values

You can choose to overwrite the field contents with values defined in a template. It is particularly useful when you want to apply a different template on the Edit screen or upon a workflow transition. This way, different fields from different templates can be available for users on different stages of the issue lifecycle.

Overwriting values also means that when users type in anything else in those fields, it will be replaced by values provided in the template. As it might seem confusing for users, a special warning is displayed on screens where such a template is applied:

Example

Exemplary Create issue screen when the Overwrite function is enabled:

Troubleshooting

If you don’t want a template to overwrite field values but it does replace them anyway, you may try following configurations:

Disable Overwrite

To disable overwriting values entirely:

1. In the Set of fields configuration, turn off the toggle under Overwrite for all fields.
2. In the Fields tab, turn off the toggle next to Different set of fields for post function.

Overwrite only selected fields

If you only want some fields to be autofilled in the background, you may use a separate set of fields for that:

1. In the Fields tab, create a separate set of fields.
2. Add only the fields that should be overwritten to the new set.
3. In the Set of fields configuration, select the newly created set of fields and enable Overwrite for the selected fields.

Alternative Source

Switch on an Alternative source to start configuring each field. A pop-up window appears.

1. Select no alternative source if you don’t want to change value. Fields will remain the same as in template.
   

   

2. Choose a parent issue, if you’d like to implement values from the parent template.

   

   Select a parent issue from which the value will be applied. Add a prefix, in case you want to enter a text before the copied value. Add a postfix, in order to enter a text closing the value.
   Note

   If you’d like to add prefixes and postfixes also to subtasks or to stories under an epic, you need to add the Create Structure post function to your workflow.
3. Other issue option allows to select an issue from which the value will be copied.
   To complete first field, type the Key of target issue. Select a field from which the value will be applied. Add a prefix, in case you want to enter a text before the copied value. Add a postfix, in order to enter a text closing the value.

   

Useful features

In Alternative source there are fields, that have additional options:

• Assignee

There’s a random option in Assignee field, which allows to add a random user from given group. Type the name of group to the tab.

• Attachment

Alternative source allows to copy attachments to issue. Switch the toggle to define an alternative source for attachment. You can re-use it from parent issue or choose one of available in other issue.

• Due Date

With alternative source, you are able to set the Due Date as in parent or other issue. It is also possible to set the current date to a Due Date field. Type the number to the Shift by tab - given number will be added to the date.

Mapping concepts

While selecting a field in a pop-up window, you can choose another type of field as an alternative source.

For example: you’d like to add a summary to the Set of fields, but re-use a text from another issue’s description. Both fields can be selected from the drop down list, even tough they’re different.

Check the table below to see, which fields are compatible with each other.

Use following mapping scheme, to properly configure your alternative source:

text <- text

user <- user, text

date <- date

x <- x (where x is some custom field)

Configured sets are visible in Set of fields section in Issue Templates Details.

Additional reading

• Issue Templates for Jira - Advanced Features: Alternative Source