Can I make a field mandatory when moving an issue from the backlog to a sprint?

[Andrew Barclay]

Hi all, first post here as a Jira Admin and scrum master.

I am wanting to know if there is an easy way to stop issues being moved from the backlog into a sprint unless certain fields have been populated. 

My focus is user stories, and I want to make the acceptance criteria and description fields mandatory at a minimum.

Is this possible?

To clarify - I don't want these fields to be mandatory to create a user story in the backlog, just when moving it to a sprint (active or not).

Thanks all!

[Tessa Tuteleers · Accepted solution]

Hi @Andrew Barclay , 

welcome to the community! 

Moving an issue from the backlog to a sprint is not a status transition (however you could make it one), so blocking it can't be done with a validator / condition in the workflow. 

We could go some ways about it. 

• If I just would have to configure this requirement as is, I would use Automation for Jira to monitor changes in the Sprint field. If the AC and / or description fields are empty, I would place a comment on the issue and remove the added Sprint value again, putting it back in the backlog. 
• However, this could be frustrating for your users, as they would add Stories on sprints and they would just return. 
  Wouldn't it be easier to have a list of "ready" issues, and a list of issues that still need refinement?
  • You would be able to do this with a status (e.g. "Technical analysis -> Ready for dev") on which you can put the specified validators. 
  • You could also simply create some quick filters in your board to find the issues in backlog that have the required details. 
• And finally, putting a validation on having something in the field does nothing for the quality of what is in the field. A "/" in both would allow the issues to be put on a sprint. 
  Dedicating a little time in your refinement / planning to get quality input for the necessary fields might just be enough to help your team along. 

Or of course any combination of the above :) 

Hope this helps! 

- Tessa

[Andrew Barclay]

Thanks Tessa, very helpful!

[Alex Koxaras _Relational_ · Accepted solution]

Hi @Andrew Barclay and welcome to the community,

Out of the box, I don't think you can do anything about it, since moving an issue to a Sprint is equal in editing the Sprint field. Having said that, perhaps a listener/event-based action would be handy (JMWE, Scriptrunner), which will listen for updated event You'll do your checks and if these checks arent valid, then you send the ticket back to the backlog. However, it's not the best approach.

Another thing you can do is let the users add issues to sprint via a transition, and there add a validator for required fields.

[Andrew Barclay]

Thanks Alex, appreciate it!