Custom fields and the data disappearing?

[Inna S]

Hi, 

I just found at least one of our issue type has lost custom fields from the screen.

This was bad enough, but then I found the data that was in these fields is now also gone.

Anyone else experiencing this wonder?

[Inna S]

This seems to be due to the bug in the presentation: the fields are empty on the All Work and other lists.

I've also found the fields are now present all right on the other issue type screen, so it is ok and resolved. 

I managed to find it by consulting the automation rule that was using the field(s) and checking the issue type in question.

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Inna S 

What type of project does this concern; Company managed or Team managed?

Are there other users that have administrative access to remove fields from the project or from the system entirely? Did you check with them to see if one of them removed the field?

Was the field created from the native field types available from Jira, or did it come from a field type provided by a third party app? If it came from a third party app do you still have that app installed and a valid and non-expired license active for it?

[Inna S]

Hi Trudy,

Team managed, born from the Jira type, there are no other admins in the system.

[Trudy Claspill]

I have not seen fields spontaneously disappear. There is usually a legitimate cause such as a person removing the field, or a field no longer being available because it came from a third party app that was expired or removed.

In TM projects one can add Custom Fields added by Jira Administrators if the field has a Global Context. One can also create project specific fields that are just part of that one project.

In which of the above categories do the missing fields belong?

Do the fields still appear in the Fields panel on the right if you search for them?

Are there other users assigned to the Administrators role for the affected TM project?

[Inna S]

Hi Trudy,

one field is 'global', another one was created in this project. 

There are no other admins in this project. 

The fields are ok, I still see them in the list of fields and in the 'all work' list.

I've added them back to the screen layout of this work item type all right.

But they are still empty, all of them.

The support promised to look into it, did not find any suspicious activity and went silent for 12 hours now.

The search reveals there was an old bug related to disappearing custom fields. Not sure what to make of it.

[Trudy Claspill]

Hopefully Atlassian will come back with a root cause.

Can you provide a link to the information about the old bug?

[Inna S]

I only have the Rovo's answer recorded.

There are known Jira Cloud bugs where field data can become inaccessible due to backend inconsistencies, especially after migrations, context changes, or database issues. Atlassian sometimes cannot trace the exact origin, especially if it’s due to system instability or ungraceful shutdowns.