"Issue Type" vs "Customer request type": Optimizing the create issue agent view

[Shannon]

I'm looking for configuration guidance around custom fields and their related request types. They way we have it configured now creates a mess for agents attempting to create a new issue using the + button on the left side navigation. 

We currently have a single issue type for "Service Request" and several Customer Request Types that utilize that single issue type. We were trying to keep config simple with a limited list of issue types: "Support" & "Request" 

A single Issue type for our help/support requests is fine: Subject and Description is all that is needed for all Support type requests. 

Our "Request" issue types have unique custom fields per request; i.e. A request for a new desk phone requires different information that a request to change a pinhole. The customer view for creation is limited to just the relevant fields for the specified request - perfect! 

However, as an agent using the + create issue button on the left hand navigation attempting to create a specific request using that shared "Request" issue type, your create screen shows all custom fields used by any customer request type that uses the "Request" issue type. 

As an agent, you don't know what fields are related to the specific request type so you don't know what to populate.

The only way we can see to remedy this situation is to create "Issue Types" for every service request we have so that unique screen schemes can be configured for each Issue Type, but maintaining that many schemes sounds impractical. Should we be creating top level "Issue Types" for each specific service request? 

[Simon H]

Hi @Shannon. The issue forms feature in ProForma Forms for Jira should be able to address this for you. You can build your own forms, with as many fields as you need (they don't even need to be linked to Custom Fields). You can also add conditional logic to streamline data entry if you want to use the same form for related queries (e.g. all phone issues: change voicemail pin, request new phone no etc). 

This should allow you to limit the number of different issue and request types, as well as reduce the number of custom fields you have, which has its own performance benefits. 

Full disclosure: I'm the product manager for ProForma; however, we build ProForma to address the specific use case you describe.  

[Andrew Januszak]

FYI the Configure Fields button at the top-right allows agents to pick which fields they want to see when using Create--it also remembers selection for the next time. So if you just want to see Subject and Description, go Create > Configure fields > only check Subject and Description and that's all you'll see.

[Shannon]

Our agents won't have all the requirements memorized for each request type, so it's not reasonable to ask them to only display the fields they need for the given request type. Yes, if it was just subject and description, no problem; but it's unique fields for each request type. 

[Hernan Halabi - Elite IT Consulting Group]

Hi @Shannon why not trying to use tabs on the screen? Each tab has a name that guides the agent what to fill on each request type. This might work as long as you don't have the same field on several request types or you will need to add the common ones on a single tab.

The other option is that agents create tickets as if they were customers going through the portal, not sure why this wouldn't be an option

[Shannon]

They could create issues in the customer view as long as they don't need to link the issue or enter any fields not displayed to the customer, like Assigned Team or Assignee. For linked issues, we are having trouble changing the screen to include the customer request type (or any modification - I have another community question open for that); though I imagine our create screen for linked issues it's going to have the same problem: Doesn't dynamically change the fields displayed per the selected request type. 

[Hernan Halabi - Elite IT Consulting Group]

For dynamics fields you might want to check extension for Jira app. I know it has that functionality on the customer portal, haven't checked if it's the same for the agents view as well