Custom field on Status Transition Input + Required Field

[Eric Yu]

Okay, I have been searching vigorously yesterday for an answer for this, but either my searching skill is lacking or this is too simple that does not need to be discussed. 

I have two questions: (I am doing all these tasks as admin user)

Background: I wanted to set up a screen to pop up when an issue was transitioned to Resolved. First, I created a Custom Field "Reason for Closing" (Text-field, multi-line). I have assigned that onto a newly created screen which then was set up for a transition between Working Status >> Resolved. It is popping up nicely as I wanted. 

1. When a user is prompted for this, the user would then write the reasons as to why they are closing the issue. Let's say they wrote "The project is complete" and close the ticket. Where can I, as a project admin, find these answers the users have provided? How will the project admin keep track of the answers that were provided?

2. Also, I wanted this field to be mandatory. So, I have set it as Required field within Field Configuration. This was successful and made the users not be able to close the tickets without answering. However, the users were not able to create issues because the issue creation window kept on saying "Reasons for Closing" field is required despite the fact that field is not on the issue creation window. How can I isolate this required field to be ONLY required on that transition screen without affecting issue creation window?

Thank you so much in advance. Let me know if I can clarify myself even more.

[Tony Rossiter · Accepted solution]

@Eric Yu 

1. You can create a custom filter and/or dashboard with the tickets in question and include your custom field as one of the columns. If you're creating the filter, make sure to share it with your other users: 

Filters: 

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-core-cloud/docs/save-your-search-as-a-filter/

Dashboards:

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-core-cloud/docs/what-is-a-jira-dashboard/

2. If you make it required in the field configuration, it's always required.   So you need to make it optional in the field config and then make some changes to your workflow. On the transition to resolved, add a Field Required validator for your custom field and it will be required only on that transaction.  It's important to understand that it doesn't lock the field after this transition though; the ticket is editable, anyone with access can go in and change it.

Here's a helpful guide: 

https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirakb/make-custom-fields-required-in-a-workflow-transition-in-jira-server-691011903.html  

Edit: the link above is for Server but the concept is the same.

[Joe Pitt]

@Eric Yu The JIRA suite utilities @Tony Rossiter links to is one way. The Behaviors plugin will also allow you to do it. Both are paid for plugins. There is no out of the box way to do what you want. 

[Eric Yu]

Thank you both! 

@Tony Rossiter , one question that leaves me is when I do a JQL search to make a filter for searching custom field that contains any words, how would I go on about that?

project = "WOR" and "Reason for Closing" ~ 

is where I got down to. I have searched places and free text custom field does not allow certain functions. What would be the best way to do this? I was also thinking maybe search limiting to field having more than certain number of characters?

Thank you!

[Eric Yu]

I might be repeating myself, but also when I searched for the exact text that was typed within the text field, I got the search result but was not able to see that exact text.

For example, I typed "banana" for the reason for closing. When I did JQL of 

project = "WOR" and "Reason for Closing" ~ "banana"

I was able to retrieve that issue. However, I was not sure where to see that word "banana" once that result showed up.

I ask this because the project admin won't be able to know the exact reason for closing and won't know to run JQL using the word "banana". I would like project admin to search based on custom field (without knowing the "banana") and find out the reason for closing to be that. 

I would appreciate it if you can navigate me to the right direction.

Thank you!

[Tony Rossiter]

@Eric Yu 

Query looks good.  Just include that custom field called "Reason for Closing" as a column in your search window.  That should clue your admin in on what they need to know. 

[Eric Yu]

@Tony Rossiter 

Thank you! What you have told me seemed to have worked out mostly.

However, I was not able to achieve what I really wanted to do-

What I had in my mind was-

I would have Field only show up as required field on a transition screen from In Progress >> Resolved (This was successful). Then, once the field value was not empty, admin would be able to see the value and be able to have a JQL filter run. However, I found out that the text field cannot pop up on View Issue screen ONLY when then field value is not empty. At least not without tweaking via Behaviour. At the moment, I have the field showing up even on Open Issues which is not what I would want. After searching around the Internet, I have found it still impossible (after years of request) to show text field only when the there is a value. 

Am I correct?