Need explanation of Screen Scheme and the Issue Layout Screen Behavior

[Fawaz Joseph]

Hi,

I am one of the administrators of our org JIRA instances.

In setting up our screen, I have noticed a behavior that is confusing to me and I can't find documentation for.

Behavior I see

This has to do with the Edit and View Screen and also the Issue Layout.

My understanding of the Screen Scheme is as follows.

Since editing and viewing of issue happens on the same page now, the Edit Issue Screen has the fields that are editable and the View issue Screen has fields that are visible.

So if Edit Issue has fields: A,B and View Issue has A,B,C

You will see field C, but you won't be able to edit it.

I have also noticed you can affect the View Screen through the Issue Layout Screen.

If you drag any of the fields on the right, It shows up in the Edit and View Screen.

I bring this up because now if something is not in the Edit Screen, but in View Screen, it still doesn't show up.

Example

Lets take the field "Actual End" as an example

Its not in Edit Screen

Its not in View Screen

Now lets say I drag "Actual End" field to to main tab

It appears

Its also editable. 

Now lets say I don't want it to be editable.

I disappear from the ticket

Even weirder, its still in the Issue Layout and View Screen.

This behavior is weird to me.

Can someone explain what is happening to me?

At the very least, direct me to the documentation of this behavior.

Thank you for your time

[Lisa Forstberg]

Hi @Fawaz Joseph 

The additional layer of managing fields on screens can indeed add another layer of confusion. 

It seems like the purpose of the layout layer is to allow for project admins to visibility of fields and manage order of fields  instead of relying on jira admins to perform that part, if I read the explanation in the documentation.

So it seems like

•  if you (as a jira admin?) add a field via the layout it automatically add the field to edit and view screens. ==> logical as it will save time?

• if you (as a jira admin) remove a field from the edit screen it removes it from the actual issue but in the configuration the layout and view screen still presents it  ==> now this is illogical as the PA cannot understand why the field is not visible on the issue. 

What happens if you fill the field with a value on an issue before removing the field from the edit screen?  I suspect that you then will see the field on the screen of that issue (but not be able to edit the value)

What happens to the layout configuration if the Jira admin removes the field from both the edit screen and the view screen? 

I think the process of removal of a field the Jira Admin needs to be really aware of ensuring its gone from the view, edit screens + layout.

br

L

[Fawaz Joseph]

Hi @Lisa Forstberg 

Thank you for responding

I follow your reasoning and I agree with all of them.

What happens if you fill the field with a value on an issue before removing the field from the edit screen?  I suspect that you then will see the field on the screen of that issue (but not be able to edit the value)

It seems you are not able to edit if you remove it from the edit screen

If you remove it from both edit and view screen, it gets removed.

I did another experiment and it seems removal from the view screen is what removes it from the issue layout.

You have to manually remove it from the edit field though.

It doesn't seem there is a way to have a non editable field...

Interesting

[Lisa Forstberg]

Interesting indeed. If you keep the field on your view screen, and not on your edit screen but have a transition screen with the field on it to fill it on a specific time in the lifecycle, it won't be visible ? 

I see there is some sort of explanation on the interconnection between layout and screens in this documentation: 

"The new issue view uses the View issue screen scheme to determine which fields to show. To add or remove a custom field, head to your project, Choose Settings > Screens, then select the View issue screen scheme and remove the field."

Must be a typo in the documentation though. It should be sufficient to write "View issue screen", not "View issue screen scheme". Afaik there is no such thing as a view issue screen scheme.

all the best

Lisa

[Fawaz Joseph]

If I refresh the page, the fields would not be visible.
However If I didn't refresh the page, while it was in both View and Edit Screen, remove it from the Edit Screen, try to edit the field; I get the error.

If I refresh afterwards, It will be gone.

Thanks for the documentation, Lisa.

However, I don't know what the Edit issue screen is for anymore then.

It seems to influence visibility now.

Atlassian needs to get better documentation