User variables

Learn about user variables and their configuration options

User variables are placeholders you can create and configure yourself. Additionally, as the administrator of the Template Repository (TEMP) project you can make them available in all the templates.

Overview

To manage User variables you need to open a particular template. In order to do so, select the template in the Issue Navigator and click its issue key:

Here are all the possible actions you can take there (scroll down to read their descriptions):

1. Search for available variables.
2. Preview variables added to this template.
3. Configure the variable (option available only for administrators of the Template Repository (TEMP) project).
4. Expand additional options.
5. Add a new variable (available for project administrators).
6. Manage variables in the Variables Library (available only for Jira administrators).

Configuration options

This panel opens up after clicking New variable or Configure variable. Scroll down to read descriptions of the configuration options:

1. Define variable

In other words, give it a name. You will be able to search for your variable using the key typed within square brackets.



2. Field type

Here you can select the type of the field that should appear every time you use the variable in issues built on your template. There are four types available:



• Text (single line)
• Text (multi-line)
• Select
• Multi-select
• Cascading select


3. Options

If you decide to use select or multi-select, you can define which options should be available. You may also rearrange them by drag and drop.



4. Label

It's a good idea to add a label to your variable in order to make your templates look more elegant. Example: to avoid showing a generic START_DATE in your final issue, just type in Start date in here and it will be replaced in all the issues built on your template.



5. Description

You may want to give other users a hint about what your variable does. The description will appear right below the variable's field.



6. Required on create screen

Use this option if you want to make your variable mandatory on the create screen. Then, every user creating an issue using your template will be prompted to fill in the variable's field with the required information.



7. Available in other template issues (option available only for administrators of the Template Repository (TEMP) project)

By switching the toggle you can share your variable across all template issues. It will then have the label "GLOBAL" next to it, but it doesn't mean it's now available in all projects - just in templates (TEMP).

Panel options

After saving, your new variable will appear in the Variables panel. You can apply some options directly from there, too:

1. Copy

Copy your variable's key to clipboard. You just need to paste it wherever you want to use it.



2. Enable for all template issues (option available only for administrators of the Template Repository (TEMP) project)

Change your variable's status to "GLOBAL", which means that it will become available for all templates in your Template Repository (TEMP).



3. Remove from Create screen

Use this option if you don't want the variable to be mandatory every time someone creates an issue using your template.



4. Reorder variables

Drag and drop this element to change the variable's position. The order specified here will be reflected on the Create issue screen.

Using user variables

Here’s how to insert system variables into a template:

Steps

1. Open the template by clicking its issue key.

   

2. Select User in the Variables panel.
3. Copy the variable to clipboard by clicking the copy icon.
4. Paste it into the Summary, Description or any other text field.
   

   

Result

After selecting the template on the Create issue screen, a form with your chosen variables will be displayed. There, users will be able to provide values for the variables.

Default values

As an Administrator, you can set default values in the variables’ fields. They will be displayed to your template’s users as recommended input. It can be a simple word or a longer Multi-line text, for example a “Thank you for contacting us” note:

You may also set default values in the Select and Multi-select fields. For example, suggest the most commonly used options in a list of available applications. You just need to click Set as default on the chosen field: