How to prepopulate the reporter field using direct HTML links in Jira Server

[Veve_Edward]

I am trying to create a URL so users can create a JIRA ticket with some of the fields prepopulated.  I used this article as a guide, 

How to create issues using direct HTML links in Jira Server | Jira | Atlassian Documentation

I am able to successfully generate a ticket with a URL such as 

https://vanguardim.atlassian.net/secure/CreateIssueDetails!init.jspa?pid=99999&issuetype=10000&priority=10103&summary=DesktopTicket&labels=DesktopTeam 

I am trying to prepopulate the reporter field with the logged on user and can't find any documentation on how to do this. The above URL leaves the reporter field blank.

I even tried using &reporter=Lastname%2CFirstname with no luck. 

[Veve_Edward · Accepted solution]

I found the answer.  The reporter is automatically populated for everyone except me and the other admin on my team.  Admins and developers don't prepopulate the reporter field.  Everyone who is not on my team automatically prepopulates because they aren't an admin for my board.  I tested this with several other people who aren't admins on my board and they all saw their accounts populated in the reporter field.  So this is solved.

[Philipp Sendek]

Hi @Veve_Edward ,

welcome to the community and great job, you're nearly there!

Usually, the reporter field should be set by default to the person being logged in. However, if the person doesn't have the "Modify Reporter" permission, they won't see the field (but it will still have their name set in the background)

But to your question:
To manipulate it using the URL (the same goes for all other user picker fields), you will have to provide the account ID of this user.

This can pose a challenge as this is not easily "generatable" from other user attributes outside of the Atlassian Cloud. Depending on if you can use a script to generate the link you're looking for, you could first run a request to an endpoint such as this: https://developer.atlassian.com/cloud/jira/platform/rest/v3/api-group-user-search/#api-rest-api-3-user-search-get
Using the e-mail address or the display name of a person, you could get the account ID which you can then place in your URL.

The final URL, derived from your URL above, would look something like this:
https://vanguardim.atlassian.net/secure/CreateIssueDetails!init.jspa?pid=99999&issuetype=10000&priority=10103&summary=DesktopTicket&labels=DesktopTeam&reporter=712020:f03ba93f-29d1-4790-923a-04c7f89hsba7b4

I hope this helps.

Greetings
Philipp

[Veve_Edward]

"if you can use a script to generate the link" - We want to put this on our confluence page.  Users should already be logged onto the Jira account when they click the link.  Is there a variable that gets populated when a user logs on that we could reference?

[Veve_Edward]

I found this line in the page source:

<meta name="ajs-remote-user-fullname" content="Veve,Edward">

I tried this: &reporter=ajs-remote-user-fullname

And got this: 

Anyone know how to grab that variable and use it in the URL?

[Veve_Edward]

Also saw this: <meta name="ajs-remote-user" content="712020:e67db59c-723e-41d0-bad6-47276a2b59c0">

This didn't work: &reporter=ajs-remote-user

But I added this and it worked: &reporter=712020:e67db59c-723e-41d0-bad6-47276a2b59c0

Problem is, that's my user account ID, so what I really need is a way to get the contents of ajs-remote-user which is whoever is logged on to the session.

[Philipp Sendek]

Hi @Veve_Edward ,

I'm afraid this would still not help you, as the value in the field must be your account ID - your full name will not be enough.

Greetings
Philipp

[Philipp Sendek]

HI @Veve_Edward ,

were you able to solve your issue?
If my answer was helpful, it would be great if you could accept the answer, so that future users in the same situation can find it easier.

Greetings
Philipp

[Veve_Edward]

Did not solve the issue.  Jira has a create button at the top of every page.  The vendor supplied "create' button populates the reporter field with the logged on reporter.  Does anyone know how that works and how I could recreate that?  My hyperlink doesn't populate that field.  There has to be a way.  I don't accept that it's not possible, because it is possible.  So if anyone can provide that answer I will accept it.

[Philipp Sendek]

Hi @Veve_Edward ,

thank you for circling back on this.
I'd like to have more clarification on some things, because the reporter field is always prepopulated with the user that opens the dialog.
So when user "Peter Smith" clicks on your link and accesses the create-issue dialog, the fields that were provided in your URL should have the correct values prepopulated in the form - also, the reporter field should have Peter Smith's user in there.

And you say that's not the case? What user does it list in there?
And we're really talking about the reporter field and not the assignee field?

Independent of that, I also explained in my initial answer how you can actively prepopulate this field (e.g. with another user then the one who has opened the dialog):
"But to your question:
To manipulate it using the URL (the same goes for all other user picker fields), you will have to provide the account ID of this user."

And:
"The final URL, derived from your URL above, would look something like this:
https://vanguardim.atlassian.net/secure/CreateIssueDetails!init.jspa?pid=99999&issuetype=10000&priority=10103&summary=DesktopTicket&labels=DesktopTeam&reporter=712020:f03ba93f-29d1-4790-923a-04c7f89hsba7b4"

Prepopulating any user picker field in Cloud with username, display name or e-mail address is not possible; you always need to provide the accountId.

Greetings
Philipp

[Veve_Edward]

Thank you so much for your persistent help on this.  Unfortunately not populated.  Here's the actual link I'm using and a screenshot: Create issue - Jira.

[Philipp Sendek]

Hi @Veve_Edward

thanks for providing the link and the screenshot. When using your link with the correct IDs on my site, I have the same behaviour (all fields filled and no reporter set).
Please do the following to see whether setting the reporter generally works for you:

• Click on your avatar in the top right corner within your Jira site
• Right click on "Profile" (right under "Jira") in the context menu
• Copy the link of this menu item
• Paste the link to a text editor of your choice
• Copy the id at the end of the link (everything after "/people/"). It should look something like this: 715020:f03ca94f-29e1-4750-913a-03c7f89157b4

Now take the issue creation URL you've been using and add "&reporter=" and the id to the end of it. Like this:
https://vanguardim.atlassian.net/secure/CreateIssueDetails!init.jspa?pid=11930&issuetype=10000&priority=10105&description=Reporter%20%3D%20%28Not%20automatic%2C%20please%20select%20from%20the%20drop%20down%20below%20or%20add%20here%29%0D%0D&labels=Endpoint-Desktop&customfield_10790=19099&customfield_10745=11375&reporter=715020:f03ca94f-29e1-4750-913a-03c7f89157b4

Please try whether you are now set as reporter in the form when you access the link.
It worked on my site and this is usually how it needs to be done.

Greetings
Philipp

[Philipp Sendek]

Hi @Veve_Edward ,

did you solve it in the end?

Greetings
Philipp

[Mikael Sandberg]

Hi @Veve_Edward,

Welcome to Atlassian Community!

Have you tried using the username or email address as specified in the guide you linked to?

Reporter

reporter

Username

'admin' or 'sam@atlassian.com' To have the reporter field default to the currently logged-in user, the user must be logged in and must not have the Modify Reporter permission.

[Philipp Sendek]

Hi @Mikael Sandberg ,

the guide is still for Server where usernames where plaintext and e-mail was indeed a valid identification element for user picker fields.
To my knowledge, in Cloud nowadays accountId is the only identity criteria that can be used for user pickers.

Greetings
Philipp