If a custom field is not on a screen, for the issue it doesn't exist?

[Alex Larini]

Context:

We want to track some cloud costs directly from the related Jira issue.

I've created a Global Looping transition, to have a quick button at the top of any issue.

I wanted to connect an automation to that, but (having no extra add-on) that transition doesn't count as a change of state, so there is no trigger I use to trigger the automation.

Workaround:

I've created a "Cost Request trigger" field. 0 by default, a post function in the transition sets it to 1.

The automation hear the field value change, gets triggered and create the Cost Request issue we want etc, and finally set the trigger back to 0.

Issue:

I want that field to be invisible to the user. I've tried to delete the field from the issue screen, and the automation stopped working so I guess that if a field is not in a screen, is really not existing for that issue, is it right?

To make it invisible still, I've set the field as hidden in testing project Field Configuration, but we have a lot of different projects and relativeScreens as well as Field Configurations in our Jira Cloud. 

Do I have to add the field to every screen of any issue that can send Cost Requests, and set it to hidden in all the related Field Configurations?

I really hope there is a better way I haven't found :) Thanks

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Actually, no.  In Company Managed projects, there are three things a field needs to be set for if you want to use it:

• The field configuration can hide fields, but they still exist when hidden, and may contain data.
• The field has to be on a screen to be used, but when it is not, it is the same as field config.
• The context of a custom field is where a field exists for an issue or not.  A field must have a context for there be a place to put any data that goes into it.

The problem here is that Automation respects the edit screen for an issue.  If your field is not on it, it can't edit it.  But that does not apply to hidden fields.

So, yes, without other apps, your only option is to add the field to all the screens, and then hide it in all the field configurations.

[Hieuy Mac]

Just to provide a bit more clarity for anyone referencing this, while you can use a hidden field as a trigger for automation, you are currently still unable to use hidden fields for any sort of comparison triggers, and there is an open feature request for this here:

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/AUTO-295