When utilizing Jira for tracking problems, project management, or agile workflows, the customizable fields offer great flexibility. However, this can result in inconsistency if not managed properly. To maintain uniformity in data entry, it is beneficial to make some fields mandatory. In this blog, we will walk you through the steps of making a Jira field mandatory.
Understanding Jira Field Configurations
Before we dive into the steps, it’s important to understand that in Jira, field configurations determine how fields behave, for instance, whether they are mandatory (required) or optional. Each issue type can have its own field configuration, meaning you can require different information for bugs, stories, tasks, and so forth.
Steps to Make a Jira Field Mandatory
Follow these steps to make a field mandatory. For these instructions, we will assume you have administrative access in Jira.
1. Navigate to Field Configurations
First, go to the ‘Jira Administration’ page. You can get there by clicking on the ‘cog’ icon located on the top-right corner of the Jira dashboard. Choose ‘Issues’ from the drop-down menu. On the page that appears, look under the ‘Fields’ section and click on ‘Field Configurations’.
2. Choose the Relevant Field Configuration
On the ‘Field Configurations’ page, you will see a list of all the field configurations that your Jira instance has. Click the ‘Configure’ link corresponding to the field configuration where you want to make a field mandatory.
3. Locate the Desired Field
Next, you will see a list of all fields that are part of the chosen configuration. Find the field you wish to make mandatory.
4. Edit the Field
Click on the ‘Required’ link located in the ‘Operations’ column of the desired field. If the field is already mandatory, the link will show ‘Optional’ instead. Clicking on it will change the field to optional.
Conclusion
By simply following these steps, you can make any field in a Jira issue mandatory. Remember, setting fields as mandatory should be based on the requirements of your project or team. It can help in making sure all necessary data is captured, but it could also add unnecessary overhead if not carefully planned. So, use this feature judiciously.
If you run into any issues, refer to the
Jira documentation or consult with your Jira administrator. Happy tracking!