Creating a Custom History Log

[Natausha]

So, while Jira creates the activity stream, we would like to create a customized version that only logs/shows the things we actually care about. I'd like it to be on a tab in the Issue. Using post functions on the workflow I know that I can create fields that are auto-populated when the issue goes through the workflow. However during our review phases we have several departments that might review a document simultaneously, so I don't really want to create a workflow (I think) what I want is for the issue to remain in the "External Review" status, and then have custom dropdown fields to record sending the document to each of the reviewrs and when we get the their edits back. But we also want a timestamp record to populate inside of our custom history tab. 

Example: Deliverable Owner begins the External Review phase in the workflow. The External Review screen contains a set of dropdowns for each department that needs to review. 
Legal: Sent For Review -> Received Edits
Marketing: Sent For Review -> Received Edits
Subject Expert: Sent For Review -> Received Edits

On the Custom History Tab inside the issue, I want to have date/time picker fields that I can automatically populate when someone selects the sent and received drop downs. So that in the history tab I can see Legal was sent the document on 5/1 at 8AM and we got it back on 5/4 at 4:30 PM
Sent to Marketing: 5/1 8AM -> Received: 5/1 5PM
Sent to Subject Experts: 5/1 8AM -> Received: 5/9 2:30PM

I know I could accomplish this if I build a linear workflow but then it would be Sent to Legal -> Received from Legal, okay now we can send to Marketing....wait for marketing to send back, okay now we can send to Subject Experts...

Is there a way to create a workflow that will keep the document in External Review status and provide buttons for sent and received for each department? Maybe I'm overlooking a simple solution. 

Or can we set up a function where when someone selects an answer in a custom dropdown field, jira can populate a custom date/time field with the time that someone updated the custom drop down?

[Sally Wheeler]

@Natausha Did you find a way to accomplish this? Please share. I need to do something similar.