How to add Watchers field while creating the issue in Jira

[vshnu raj]

How to add Watchers field while creating the issue in Jira

[Alaetheia Garrison Stuber Weston Wong · Accepted solution]

I have figured out away to do this through automation:

First I created a custom User Picker field, and named it Add to Watchlist. and I added that field to my screen.  

Then in automations I used a Issue Created trigger,  followed by an Add watchers action. When selecting which users I'd like to add as watchers in the Add these watchers drop down menu; instead of picking a user, I used Jira smart values to call any user ID in my custom field like so: 

{{Add to Watchlist.accountId}} 

When someone creates an issue they can enter in as many users as they would like into the Add to Watchlist field. Once they hit create those users are add to watchers on the ticket. 

Hope that helps! 

[Matis Aas]

Can confirm this works also if you don't wanna use a plugin(Watch it for Jira does the trick), thanks @Alaetheia Garrison Stuber Weston Wong :)

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

The built-in watchers field is not really handled as a field in Jira, it's more of a function.

You can't get to it directly as though it were a field, you have to use add/remove in its own interface, not the field view.

There are a couple of apps that provide a field-like interface on to it in the marketplace, which you might want to try out (they work by putting a watchers field on-screen for those who have permission to amend it)

Your other option would be to add your own multi-select and automate something that copies watchers out of it on creation (but that would not respect the clever stuff watchers does with permissions)

[John Funk]

Hey @vshnu raj 

I don't believe you can do it at create time. But you should be able to add watchers with Automation for Jira or ScriptRunner or another add-in. 

[Rilwan Ahmed]

Hi @vshnu raj ,

You can do it by adding watchers field to "Create screen". Then watchers field will show in while creating the ticket.

You can follow below steps to add field.

Go to project settings --> screens 

For the required issue type, See what is the screen associated to "Create Issue" action. 
Click on the screen and add the "Watchers" field there.

[vshnu raj]

Watchers is a system field and it is unavailable to add on screens

[Rilwan Ahmed]

My bad, I forgot to mention we use "JIRA Watcher Field" plugin and have created custom field "Watchers" with type "Watcher Field" type. This custom field is added to create screen.

I see similar solution mentioned in https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/Is-there-any-way-to-add-Watchers-on-issue-creation-in-Jira/qaq-p/1218744 but could not find the plugin in marketplace now :(

[Andrea Hakim]

Do not use the watcher field plugin.  It is incompatible with Jira version 8.22+ and will wreak havoc on your instance - see Is there an alternative to burningcode's now defun... (atlassian.com)