How to display custom fields that have no default value

[Jill Cohen]

I have several custom fields that are used after the creation of an issue. I'd like them to be available as editible inline - like fixVersion. These fields are optional and thus do not have default value so they don't appear until someone actually edits the issue and adds content.

Is there a way to do this?

[Joe Pitt · Accepted solution]

No. Aside from a few system fields only fields with values are displayed. Anyone can click the edit button and fill them in. We had some managers bothered by this and they forced us to put in defaults so they would show. Then we had the problem that no one updated the default value and we had issued resolved with TBD in the module name and such. In the end the bad data made people look bad so we took out the default.

[Jill Cohen]

Thanks Joe! I'll stop looking now...

[Artur Foxander]

Really helpful reply. Not only did it answer the question, but also explained the risks. Thanks!