Configuring and Customizing Issue Types in Jira

Understanding Issue Types:

Issue types in Jira represent different types of work items or tasks that your team needs to track. Examples include “Bug,” “Task,” “Story,” and “Epic.” Configuring and customizing issue types allows you to define and adapt these categories to match your workflow and reporting needs.

Configuring Default Issue Types:

1. Access Jira Administration:

• Log in to Jira with administrative privileges and navigate to Jira Administration.

1. Navigate to ‘Issues’:

• In the administration menu, find and click on “Issues.”

1. Choose ‘Issue Types’:

• Select “Issue Types” to access the list of existing issue types.

1. Review and Edit Defaults:

• Review the default issue types provided by Jira, such as “Bug,” “Task,” and “Story.” You can edit their names, descriptions, and other properties to align with your project’s terminology.

1. Add Custom Issue Types:

• If the default issue types don’t meet your needs, you can create custom issue types by clicking on the “Add Issue Type” button. Define the name, description, and other properties for each custom type.

1. Configure Workflow Schemes:

• Associate issue types with workflow schemes to define the workflow each type follows. This ensures that different types of progress through the appropriate stages in your workflow.

Customizing Issue Type Screen Schemes:

1. Navigate to ‘Issues’:

• In Jira Administration, go to “Issues” and select “Screen Schemes.”

1. Choose ‘Default Screen Scheme’:

• Edit the default screen scheme or create a new one. Associate screens with issue operations like Create, Edit, and View.

1. Map Screens to Issue Types:

• Map the appropriate screens to each issue type within the screen scheme. This ensures that users see relevant information and fields when interacting with different issue types.

Adding Custom Fields to Issue Types:

1. Access Jira Administration:

• In the administration menu, navigate to “Issues” and select “Field Configurations.”

1. Create or Edit Field Configurations:

• Create new field configurations or edit existing ones to define which fields are visible for each issue type.

1. Associate Field Configurations with Issue Types:

• Associate field configurations with issue types by going to “Field Configurations” in the administration menu and selecting “Issue Type Screen Scheme.”

1. Configure Field Contexts:

• Define field contexts to manage how custom fields behave for different projects and issue types.

Best Practices for Issue Type Configuration:



1. Align with Project Requirements:

• Customize issue types to align with the specific needs and terminology of your projects.

1. Keep it Simple:

• Avoid creating too many issue types to maintain simplicity and clarity in your workflow.

1. Regular Review:

• Periodically review and update issue types based on evolving project requirements.

1. Collaborate with Teams:

• Collaborate with your team to ensure that issue types and their configurations support effective communication and collaboration.