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Introduction to Customization in Jira

What is Customization?

Customization in Jira allows you to tailor the software to fit your specific project management needs. This can range from configuring workflows and screens to creating custom fields and schemes. Customization helps in increasing productivity, ensuring that the tool works in alignment with your team's processes.

Why Customize Jira?

There are several reasons why you might want to customize Jira:

  • Improve workflow efficiency
  • Better project tracking and reporting
  • Enhanced collaboration and communication
  • Adapt Jira to match your project management methodologies

Basic Customization Options

Jira offers various customization options, including:

  • Custom Fields
  • Workflows
  • Screens
  • Issue Types
  • Permissions
  • Notifications

Creating Custom Fields

Custom fields allow you to capture additional information specific to your projects. Follow these steps to create a custom field:

  1. Navigate to Jira Administration > Issues.
  2. In the Fields section, click on Custom fields.
  3. Click on Add Custom Field.
  4. Select the type of field you want to create and click Next.
  5. Configure the field by providing a name and description.
  6. Associate the field with relevant screens and click Create.

Example

Let's create a custom field named "Client Name" to capture the client's name for each issue.

Custom Field Type: Single-line text field
Name: Client Name
Description: Name of the client

The custom field "Client Name" will now appear on the selected screens, allowing users to input the client's name for each issue.

Customizing Workflows

Workflows define the sequence of statuses and transitions that an issue can go through. To customize a workflow:

  1. Navigate to Jira Administration > Issues.
  2. In the Workflows section, click on Workflows.
  3. Select an existing workflow or create a new one by clicking Add Workflow.
  4. Edit the workflow by adding, editing, or deleting statuses and transitions.
  5. Publish the workflow to apply the changes.

Example

Suppose you want to add a new status "Under Review" between "In Progress" and "Done".

Add Status: Under Review
Transition: From "In Progress" to "Under Review"
Transition: From "Under Review" to "Done"

The workflow will now include the "Under Review" status, providing a more granular tracking of issue progress.

Customizing Screens

Screens allow you to define which fields appear when creating, viewing, or editing an issue. To customize a screen:

  1. Navigate to Jira Administration > Issues.
  2. In the Screens section, click on Screens.
  3. Select an existing screen or create a new one by clicking Add Screen.
  4. Edit the screen by adding, editing, or removing fields.
  5. Associate the screen with the desired issue operations (Create, View, Edit).

Example

Let's add the "Client Name" custom field to the "Create Issue" screen.

Screen: Create Issue
Field: Client Name

The "Client Name" field will now appear when creating a new issue, allowing users to input the client's name.

Customizing Issue Types

Issue types help you categorize and manage different types of work. To customize issue types:

  1. Navigate to Jira Administration > Issues.
  2. In the Issue Types section, click on Issue Types.
  3. Select an existing issue type or create a new one by clicking Add Issue Type.
  4. Configure the issue type by providing a name, description, and icon.
  5. Associate the issue type with relevant projects and schemes.

Example

Suppose you want to create a new issue type "Feature Request".

Name: Feature Request
Description: Request for new features
Icon: ![Feature Request Icon]

The "Feature Request" issue type will now be available for selection in the associated projects, allowing users to create feature requests.

Customizing Permissions

Permissions control what users can do within Jira. To customize permissions:

  1. Navigate to Jira Administration > System.
  2. In the Security section, click on Permission Schemes.
  3. Select an existing permission scheme or create a new one by clicking Add Permission Scheme.
  4. Edit the scheme by adding, editing, or removing permissions for different roles and groups.
  5. Associate the scheme with relevant projects.

Example

Let's create a permission scheme that allows only project administrators to delete issues.

Permission Scheme: Custom Scheme
Permission: Delete Issues
Role: Project Administrators

Only users with the "Project Administrators" role can delete issues in projects associated with this permission scheme.

Customizing Notifications

Notifications keep your team informed about important events. To customize notifications:

  1. Navigate to Jira Administration > System.
  2. In the Notification Schemes section, click on Notification Schemes.
  3. Select an existing notification scheme or create a new one by clicking Add Notification Scheme.
  4. Edit the scheme by adding, editing, or removing notifications for different events and recipients.
  5. Associate the scheme with relevant projects.

Example

Let's create a notification scheme that sends an email to the project lead whenever an issue is resolved.

Notification Scheme: Custom Scheme
Event: Issue Resolved
Recipient: Project Lead

The project lead will receive an email notification whenever an issue is resolved in projects associated with this notification scheme.

Conclusion

Customization in Jira is a powerful way to ensure the tool meets your specific needs and improves your team's efficiency. This tutorial covered the basics of customizing fields, workflows, screens, issue types, permissions, and notifications. By leveraging these customization options, you can tailor Jira to work seamlessly with your project management processes.