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Custom Issue Types in Jira

Introduction

Jira is a powerful tool for project management, commonly used for issue tracking and project management. One of its key features is the ability to define custom issue types. Custom issue types allow you to categorize and manage different kinds of tasks and issues specific to your workflows and projects.

Why Use Custom Issue Types?

Custom issue types provide flexibility and granularity in tracking and managing your work. They help in:

  • Organizing different kinds of work items (e.g., bugs, tasks, stories).
  • Defining custom workflows for different types of issues.
  • Generating specific reports and insights.
  • Streamlining communication within teams.

Creating Custom Issue Types

Follow these steps to create a custom issue type in Jira:

  1. Log in to your Jira instance as an administrator.
  2. Navigate to the Jira Administration section.
  3. Go to Issues > Issue Types.
  4. Click on the Add Issue Type button.
  5. Fill in the details for the new issue type:
    • Name: The name of the issue type (e.g., "Feature Request").
    • Description: A brief description of the issue type.
    • Type: Select whether it is a standard issue type or a sub-task.
  6. Click Add to create the new issue type.

Example: Creating a "Feature Request" issue type

Navigate to Issues > Issue Types, click Add Issue Type, and fill out the form:

Name: Feature Request

Description: A request for a new feature.

Type: Standard Issue Type

Configuring Custom Issue Types

After creating a custom issue type, you may need to configure it further to fit your specific needs. This may involve:

  • Mapping it to appropriate workflows.
  • Assigning relevant fields and screens.
  • Setting permissions and notifications.

Here's how you can configure these settings:

  1. Navigate to Issues > Workflows.
  2. Select a workflow and click on Edit.
  3. Associate the custom issue type with the workflow by mapping it.
  4. Save and publish the workflow.
  5. Navigate to Issues > Field Configurations.
  6. Configure the fields that should be available for the custom issue type.
  7. Navigate to Issues > Screens.
  8. Assign the custom issue type to the appropriate screens.
  9. Set up permissions and notifications by navigating to Project Settings > Permissions and Notifications.

Example: Associating "Feature Request" with a custom workflow

  1. Navigate to Issues > Workflows.
  2. Select the desired workflow and click Edit.
  3. In the workflow editor, add a new status "Under Review" and connect it to existing statuses.
  4. Map the "Feature Request" issue type to this custom workflow.
  5. Save and publish the workflow.

Using Custom Issue Types

Once your custom issue types are created and configured, you can start using them in your projects. When creating a new issue, you will have the option to select your custom issue type from the dropdown menu.

To create an issue with a custom issue type:

  1. Navigate to the project where you want to create the issue.
  2. Click on Create to open the new issue creation screen.
  3. Select your custom issue type (e.g., "Feature Request") from the Issue Type dropdown.
  4. Fill in the required details and click Create.

Example: Creating a "Feature Request" issue

  1. Navigate to your project.
  2. Click Create.
  3. Select Feature Request from the Issue Type dropdown.
  4. Fill in the details: Summary, Description, Priority, etc.
  5. Click Create.

Conclusion

Custom issue types in Jira provide a powerful way to tailor the tool to your specific needs, enabling better organization, tracking, and management of different types of work. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can create, configure, and use custom issue types to enhance your project management processes.