Why does this Field Configuration have duplicates that can't be removed?

[Marcel Hager]

I am auditing various configurations in our environment and came across something that I've not seen before, where it appears that there are duplicates of certain fields. This doesn't appear in all field configurations, so I'm not sure if I'm misunderstanding how this should be displayed.

I attempted to delete one of the "duplicates" as a test, and while the field is shown with a "Removed" label, when refreshing the fields are back again. I have confirmed that there aren't actually any fields with duplicate names, only on this screen. Has anyone else seen this and what is the cause/solution? Thanks!

[Trisha Griffis]

Hey Marcel,

Great question and yes, you’re not the only one seeing this behavior!

What’s Actually Happening 

The “duplicate” fields you’re seeing (like Change reason, Change risk, etc.) are most likely multiple custom fields with the exact same display name, but different field IDs. Jira allows custom fields to share the same name, especially when:

• They were created by Marketplace apps like Jira Service Management, Xray, or JMWE

• You imported configurations across multiple projects or from templates

• Someone manually created similar fields instead of reusing an existing one 

The Field Configuration screen shows each field individually by ID, even if they share a name, which is why it looks like duplication, but technically isn’t.

Why You Can’t Delete Them (Permanently) 

When you click the trash icon in a Field Configuration, you’re not deleting the actual field, you’re just removing its visibility from that configuration.

If the field is still associated with screens, or globally active in the system (or part of shared configurations), it may reappear on refresh especially for managed system fields or fields tied to app templates.

How to Confirm the Duplicates

1. Go to Admin → Issues → Custom Fields

2. Search for the field name (e.g., Change reason)

3. Look for multiple entries with the same name they’ll have different Field IDs in the URL or when you hover over the edit icon.

Let us know if you want help running a full audit of your custom fields. At Jer-nee Consulting, we’ve helped a lot of teams clean up field sprawl and optimize their Jira configs

[Marc - Devoteam]

Hi @Marcel Hager 

To add to the possibilities given by @Trisha Griffis 

If you have Team Managed projects, the field could also been made there.