How to Bulk Update 260+ Jira Issues with Status Change Dates?

[Asfand Yar Akram]

Hi all,

We recently migrated project data into Jira Cloud for our apparel brand Harwage, which manages everything from t shirt design and production to digital marketing in Jira.

After the migration, we’ve discovered that over 260 work items (issues) are missing the date their current status was set. These dates are crucial for workflow reporting (e.g., how long a T-shirt order stayed in "Print Queue" or "Packaging"), and we're trying to correct this data gap.

Goal:
We need to update each issue’s status timestamp to reflect when that status was originally set not necessarily when the migration occurred.

Key Question:
Is it possible to update or backdate the status change timestamp in Jira Cloud — either via the REST API, External System Import (CSV/XML), or any other workaround?

Bonus if:

This can be done in bulk (260+ issues)

The solution maintains Jira integrity (e.g., does not break audit logs or history)

We want to avoid manual updates for each issue if possible — especially since many of them represent key Harwage workflows like T-shirt printing, quality check, shipping, etc.

Any guidance or success stories from similar post-migration cleanups would be incredibly helpful!

Thanks in advance!

[pawarsachin84]

Hello @Asfand Yar Akram ,

Option 1: Use "Transition Date" in a Custom Field for Reporting

Since you can’t modify the system timestamp, create a custom DateTime field like Actual Status Date.

Steps:
1. Create a custom field: e.g., Actual Print Queue Date

2. Bulk update the 260 issues (via CSV or Automation) to populate this field with the correct date.

3. Use this field in Dashboard reports or JQL filters instead of relying on status changed dates.

Pros: Clean, Jira-compliant, bulk-editable
Cons: Doesn’t fix audit trail, needs refactoring of reporting filters

Option 2: Tempo Timesheets, Jira Worklogs, or 3rd-Party Reporting Tools
Tools like:

Tempo Timesheets

Jira Misc Custom Fields (JMCF)

eazyBI
…can help you simulate or visualize status durations based on custom fields (e.g., Estimated Entered Date for status X).

[Alexander Hohmann]

As @Geethanjali Katagani rightfully says, you can bring in the data through a CSV import. You could first export the related issues in CSV format, import it into your favourite spreadsheet application, keep only the column with the work item keys (formlery known as issue keys), find a way to add the corresponding date in that same spreadsheet through a formula or with some handwork, and then reimport this simplified two-column spreadsheet as a UTF-8 CSV file. This will overwrite the existing entry in that field, if there is any. You can then export the import logfile for later reference if needed.

[Geethanjali Katagani]

Hi @Asfand Yar Akram ,

We can update the issues using a CSV file. For that, you'll need to prepare the CSV with the corresponding Issue Keys and ensure it is mapped to the appropriate project.

Let me know if you have any doubts or need assistance with the format.

Thanks,
Geethanjali