How to bulk update work items with the date that their current status was set

[Heidi Hendry]

I have a need to update 260+ work items in Jira Cloud with the date that their current status was set.

This is a fix after a data migration.

Is this possible with API or External System Import or another method?

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Heidi Hendry 

Are you trying to insert that date into a custom field?

Do you need to get the data information from the change logs of the Jira issues, or do you already have that date information and you just need to add it to the issue?

There are REST API endpoints for updating custom fields.

Custom fields can also be updated through the External System Import process. The input file has to include the issue key along with the issue Summary and the new information you want to add in order to update existing issues, and the columns have to be properly mapped. Importing dates also requires that you properly specify the date format. If you go this route I recommend that you do small scale testing to ensure you set up the import file and import options correctly for updating existing issues rather than creating all new issues. You probably don't want to clean up 260+ new issues created by mistake.

[Heidi Hendry]

Hi Trudy,
Thanks for answering. No I'm not trying to insert the date into a custom field. I want to update the status history date of change.

The data is coming from a different system. This is from a migration of data into Jira.

[Trudy Claspill]

Can you provide more information about your migration process? Does it include adding change history records into Jira for issues?

Jira typically will create a change history record when an issue status is changed. It does not otherwise record in any specific field the date of each status change.

There is also an Updated timestamp, but that is not limited to recording the data of the last update to the Status of the issue. It will be updated based on other types of updates to the issue.

Are you trying to modify a change history record for the issue? If so, how did the change history record get created?

[pawarsachin84]

Hello @Heidi Hendry ,

You can try Recommended Workaround ->

Step 1: Create a Custom Date Field

Create a custom field such as:

Original Status Date

Backfilled Packaging Date (if specific to a status)

☑️ You can do this from Jira Admin → Issues → Custom Fields → Add Custom Field

Step 2: Bulk Update the Issues

✅ CSV Import (External System Import)

1. Export a CSV file with two columns:

Issue Key (ABC-123)

Original Status Date (2024-04-12)

2. Use Jira’s External System Import under:

Jira Settings → System → External System Import → CSV

3. Map the custom date field during import.

This updates the issues without affecting audit logs.

Step 3: Use This Field in Reports

In dashboards, JQL, or tools like eazyBI, you can now use:

"Original Status Date" >= startOfMonth()

Or calculate durations from it:

"Time since status change" = now() - Original Status Date

[Heidi Hendry]

Hi pawarsachin84,

Thanks for answering. No, I do not want to create a custom field.

[Heenaben Sardarbhai Chaudhary]

@Heidi Hendry 

You can do this using the Jira REST API with a script that updates a custom field (e.g., "Status Set Date") on each issue.

First, fetch each issue's changelog to find when the current status was set, then use PUT /rest/api/3/issue/{issueIdOrKey} to update the field. Alternatively, External System Import (CSV) can also work if you prepare a file with issue keys and the correct date values. Automation won't help here since it's retroactive.

Regards,

Heena chaudhary.

[Heidi Hendry]

Hi Heena,

Thanks for answering, no I do not want to update a custom field.

I want to update the actual status history change date.