A copy of a field configuration affects the the original

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

In our installation, we have one field configuration that applies to most screens. I wanted to have a slight twist on this config, and as I am new to field configurations, I thought I would start by copying the existing field configuraton so that my changes would not affect the existing settings. 

That was a wrong assumption.

Basically, the only thing I wanted different for one of my projects was making Components a required field. So after opening my new field configuration and making sure it only applied to a screens in my project, I went back to the original and saw that the changes were reflected there as well! It was as if every change was global.

I do not understand what a field configuration is if the changes are not scoped to the field configuration, but is applied globally across all field configurations. 

[Niranjan]

Hi @Carl-Erik Kopseng ,

Let me try to explain. Technically field configurations are not closely related to the screens, but to the issue types in the project.(but screens are linked to issue types). You basically create and associate different schemes( Workflow scheme, screen scheme, Field configuration) for issue types ( either a shared workflow scheme or separate schemes).

What could have gone wrong with the changes that you had made? Anything. We would need more information, but if you have applied the change in the default Field configuration instead of the copied one - Yes that might have been the issue.

The ideal way to approach the use case is

1. Make the field optional in the Field configuration
2. Take a copy of the field configuration
3. Create a Field configuration scheme - "Add Field Configuration Scheme"
4. Associate the Copied Field Configuration to the new Field Configuration Scheme.
5. Associate the FC scheme to the project. Now your project has a separate Field Configuration Scheme, which in turn would have a dedicated Field configuration. ( The field configuration would show "shared by 1 project" and that should be yours..)
6. You can now make changes as required.

https://confluence.atlassian.com/adminjiracloud/adding-editing-and-deleting-a-field-configuration-844500796.html

Apologies for the lengthy reply :P

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

The steps you sketch out are fine. That is how you make the field required for issues in that one project, by associating the scheme and its config to the project.

Now, what I don't get is why changes to the field like required/optional is per configuration, while changes to which screens it applies to is global.

I just did the steps you outlined above, and if I uncheck a screen in the Components field in Config A, that will also be unchecked in Config B, even though I made the changes just in Config A. That is a mystery to me. Neither A nor B is a default config.

[Niranjan]

while changes to which screens it applies to is global. - This should not be the case either. 

Make sure that you have dedicated screen scheme for the project. Screen changes can also to be done at project level.

https://confluence.atlassian.com/adminjiracloud/associating-a-screen-with-an-issue-operation-776636488.html

[Daniel Ebers]

Hi Carl-Erik,

in case this configuration issue has not been resolved yet by the information Niranjan already posted - could you please be so kind and list (anonymized to some extent would be fully okay!) how the configurations are named in your instance for the two projects?

There must be a scheme (or something else that now is causing that real strange situation) that is still shared between projects which is not intended anymore as per your requirement.

Cheers,
Daniel

[vamvindev]

Hi @Daniel Ebers / @Niranjan

This issue has been raised by several users but I don't think none addressed the issue.

Below are the links for the same issue:

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-questions/Changes-to-default-field-configuration-applying-to-new-field/qaq-p/1699500

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/Modifying-field-configuration-changes-the-default-field/qaq-p/910313

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/default-field-configuration-is-changed-when-I-make-screen/qaq-p/1344656

I'm posting the response here as it involves two members from Atlassian.

---

Coming to the issue, I'll be as detailed as possible but feel free to ask me any missing info.

1. Atlassian provides a Default Field Configuration (Gear Icon > Issues > Field Configurations) with all the fields, Screens, Actions etc.

2. The user clicked "Configure" under the "Actions" column for the "Default Field Configuration".

3. The user noticed that "Affect Versions" are displayed for 5 screens for the Default Field Configuration and wanted to change that by creating a new field configuration as he didn't want that field to be displayed on certain projects.

---

4. Now a user created a new field configuration by clicking "Add field Configuration" in the same page, let's name it as "My Field Configuration".

5. The user clicked "Configure" under the "Actions" column for "My Field Configuration".

6. The user noticed that "Affect Versions" is displayed in 5 screens under the "Screens" column and wanted to change that.

7. The user clicked "Screens" under "Actions" column for the "Affect Versions" of "My Field Configuration".

8. The user unselected 4 screens in the displayed screens for the "Affect Versions" of "My Field Configuration".

9. The user clicked on Update and the configuration is saved.

---

10. Now, the user navigated to all fields configurations page by clicking "all field configurations"

11. The user can see two Field configurations on this page
      A. Default Field Configuration (Provided by Atlassian)
      B. My Field Configuration (Created by the user)

12. The user clicked "Configure" under the "Actions" column of "Default Field Configuration"

13. The user noticed that the screens which are unselected for "Affect Versions" in step 8 for "My Field Configuration" field configuration have been unselected for the "Default Field Configuration" too.

Expected :
In the "Default Field Configuration" for "Affect Versions" all the 5 Screens must remain selected.

Actual :
Changes done in the newly created field configuration("My Field Configuration") are also reflected in Default Field Configuration.

---

Creating a new Field Configuration Scheme and associating that to this new "My Field Configuration" that's all fine.

The only issue is, why did my changes in the "My Field Configuration" get reflected in "Default Field Configuration" too.

I hope I'm detailed enough else as I mentioned earlier, please reach out to me here.

[Daniel Ebers]

Thanks a lot, now I understand better - as soon the user clicks on "Screens" to change configuration this is not related anymore with the Field Configuration.

This might sound confusing but is better to understand if you see the "Screens" link to be something that is something totally different in this step.

Expected :
In the "Default Field Configuration" for "Affect Versions" all the 5 Screens must remain selected.

I see what you mean but there is surely just a mismatch between user interface ("how it was designed") and what the user is expected to see. To be honest, it is a bit intransparent, yes.

The best explanation came from Alexey:

- https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/Modifying-field-configuration-changes-the-default-field/qaq-p/910313#M34283

Where he wrote:

A field is connected to a screen through screen schemes. Field configuration schemes do not have any connection with a screen.

So, the thing to keep in mind is that as soon as a user clicks on "Screen" they are in a different part of the configuration (not in "Field Configuration" anymore) which affects all screens - it is just not related to "Field Configuration" anymore even if it does look like that by what the user interfact suggests.

Regards,
Daniel