Update some fields in existing JIRA issues with CSV import without all fields in import?

[Matt Ransford]

Is it possible to update existing JIRA issues using a CSV import without all the data fields in the exisiting issues in the CSV and without having the existing fields overwritten if they're not specified? The documentation for 6.2 says:

Importing a CSV to update existing issues will reset columns to their default values if they are not specified in the CSV.

Here's the use case: I want to have a series of QA issues worked on internally that can be exported to XLS to show to a client. I want the client to add feedback to a column in the XLS corresponding to a client feedback field in the JIRA issues. I want to import that XLS via CSV back into the existing issues in JIRA, but without the other field data in the CSV because it will have changed over time in JIRA as the internal team works through the issues. I only want to add the client feedback by key and nothing else (and this feedback field would not be modified in the interim).

Is this possible? Thanks in advance!

[Boris Georgiev [Appfire] · Accepted solution]

You can write a script which will update only the required fields through JIRA REST API https://docs.atlassian.com/jira/REST/latest/#d2e3550, using the CSV file to get the values for the feedback

[tom]

why is it you cannot update a single field for a bunch of issues when there is a unique identifier (key), why is it you need to provide every field including the ones you dont want updated? when, if using an sql database with management studio i could simply update a single column (field)?

I understand this is not exactly the same but i dont understand why if the fields are not present in the csv update that the issue retains its current values for those fields?

[Sam Hall]

This works for me. Perhaps the import functionality has been improved since this original 2014 thread.

I do CSV import with 3 columns:

• Issue Key (mapped to issue key in JIRA, to ensure issues are updated rather than created as new)
• Summary (required by the import process)
• Field I want to update

Importing this using Admin > External System Import results in only that one field (and the Summary, if changed) being updated. Fields not included in the import file are unaffacted.

[Francisco Morgado Gonzalez]

Thanks 

I do CSV import with 3 columns:

Issue Key (mapped to issue key in JIRA, to ensure issues are updated rather than created as new)
Summary (required by the import process)
Field I want to update

The update was successful !

(We use Jira v7.12.1)

[Bob Swift]

JIRA Command Line Interface has runFromCsv that will construct actions based on CSV data. Specifically, you can run updateIssue.

[Carrie Hanna]

Hello. Does this work with custom fields?

[Corey Needham]

Hi @Carrie Hanna,
I just came across this thread and tested it and can confirm that it works perfectly with custom fields

[Carrie Hanna]

Hi @Corey Needham 
Thanks! :)

[Matt Ransford]

Thank you both!