within a single space can we setup 1 or more issue templates that the team could select from when op

Hi @Kathryn Lee 

Let me share my approach to managing work item templates in Jira that would be close to your current approach.

I would recommend creating a small template library and applying a few simple rules:

1. Add a clear prefix to each template’s Summary, for example:

   • [TEMPLATE] Weekly report A

   • [TEMPLATE] Weekly report B

   • [TEMPLATE] Monthly report 1

   • [TEMPLATE] Monthly report 2
   • [TEMPLATE] Monthly report 3

2. Group related Story templates under dedicated Epics. Since you mentioned both weekly and monthly reports, you could create two separate Epics, for example, [TEMPLATE] Weekly Reports and [TEMPLATE] Monthly Reports. Each Epic would act as a container for a specific group of templates, making them easier to identify, manage, and present in your template library.

3. Keep the template Stories in a completed status, such as Done or Closed. This prevents them from being treated as work waiting to be completed and keeps them out of the active backlog in a standard board configuration.

4. Create a saved filter that returns all Stories or just Epics (up to your preferences). You can then use this filter on a dedicated dashboard to present the available templates as a simple library for the team.

Here is an example of the Dashboard you may have:

As an optional improvement, if you can (or you know an admin who can do it) add a custom field to your Jira instance, you could create a checkbox or Yes/No field called Template and mark reusable work items with Template = Yes. It makes filtering easier if the library later includes templates from multiple Epics, projects, or teams. In that case, the saved filter and dashboard can be based on the Template = Yes field instead of a specific Epic.

When a team needs to create a new instance, they can clone the relevant Story or full Epic using Jira’s native cloning functionality.

For more advanced scenarios, you could also use an app such as Clone Expert for Jira. It allows users to preview and customize the work items before cloning, for example, by changing due dates or assignees. Users can also choose which fields and elements should be copied and clone a single Story, selected Stories, or an entire Epic.

This is not exactly a dropdown available in the Create Story form, but it provides a structured and maintainable template library without cluttering the teams’ operational backlogs.

If you would like to discuss this approach in more detail or validate how it could work in your Jira setup, I would be happy to meet with you. You can book a convenient time in my calendar here. The session would be purely consultative and focused on your use case (no sales or marketing pitch :) ) 

Hi @Kathryn Lee ,

Yes, this is possible. Jira’s native Forms or scheduled Automation can cover some simpler cases, particularly when the story should be created automatically every week or month.

For the template-selection experience you described, a Marketplace app would provide a closer fit. I’m from the team behind Easy Issue Templates for Jira, which allows you to:

• Create multiple reusable templates, such as “Weekly Report” and “Monthly Report”
• Make templates available only within selected projects
• Select a template when creating a new story
• Pre-fill the summary, description, Acceptance Criteria, Definition of Done, story points and other Jira fields
• Include and recreate related tasks or sub-tasks
• Add variables for values that change each time the template is used

The templates are stored separately from regular Jira work items, so you would no longer need the “CLONE THIS” stories sitting in the backlog.

For enterprise environments, the Cloud app is also Runs on Atlassian and Cloud Fortified, with SOC 2 coverage and participation in Atlassian’s Marketplace Bug Bounty program.

For genuinely scheduled work, you can also connect a template with Jira Automation so that the complete story is created automatically each week or month.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Best,

Paul

Hi @Kathryn Lee 

Jira does not currently provide a native dropdown of reusable Story templates that can prefill several fields differently for each recurring process. Native Jira forms can create work items from submissions, but they work more like structured intake forms than selectable issue templates.

A practical alternative is to use Smart Forms for Jira, developed by my team, and create one form for each repeating story type, for example:

• Weekly report

• Monthly report

• Sprint review preparation

• Release readiness check

For each form, you can configure Create new work item and select the relevant space and Story work type. Form responses and predefined values can then populate Jira fields such as Summary, Description, Acceptance Criteria, Definition of Done, Story Points, Labels, or other compatible custom fields. Smart Forms supports creating Jira work items directly from submissions and mapping form elements to Jira fields.

A setup could look like this:

1. Create a “Weekly report” Smart Form.

2. Add editable fields for details that change each week.

3. Use default or hidden fields for information that should always be included, such as:

   • Standard Acceptance Criteria

   • Definition of Done

   • Default Story Points

   • A label such as weekly-report

4. Map those elements to the corresponding Jira fields under Create new work item.

5. Repeat this for each template.

6. Add each form URL as a shortcut in the space sidebar.

The team would then select the appropriate shortcut:

Create weekly report
Create monthly report
Create sprint review story

They complete only the variable information, submit the form, and a new Story is created with the standard content already populated. This removes the “CLONE THIS” stories from the backlog while still giving each team a clear list of reusable templates.

For repeating child tasks, you could also use a hidden label or template identifier in the form and have Jira Automation create the required subtasks after the Story is created.

Auto-attaching forms is another option when the Story should be created first and the form is used as a checklist or Definition of Done afterward. For your use case, however, separate form links that create the Story would probably provide the closest experience to selecting an issue template.

Yes, this is absolutely possible in Jira Software Cloud using the native Forms feature. While forms were previously exclusive to Jira Service Management, they have now been rolled out to all Jira Software projects.

Using the "Forms" Tab as a Template Library

The Forms tab in your Jira Software project navigation is the perfect tool for this. It allows you to create structured entry points for new work items without needing "boiler plate" issues sitting in your backlog.

Benefit: When a team member uses the link, they see a clean form with all the defaults ready to go. Once they hit submit, the story is created directly in the backlog, and you no longer need those "CLONE THIS" issues taking up space.

Other Native Options

• Automation Flows: For truly "repeating" issues (like a report that happens every Friday), you can use Automation (Project Settings > Automation) to create the issue automatically on a schedule.

• Marketplace Apps: For even more advanced needs (like templating an entire hierarchy of an Epic with 10 Stories), apps like Issue Templates for Jira are available.

Public Feature Requests

If you'd like to see a more integrated "Template" dropdown directly inside the global "Create" button, you can vote for and watch these active suggestions on our public tracker:

• https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRACLOUD-7731: Request for native Issue Templates to handle recurring tasks.

• https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRACLOUD-63186: Suggestion to allow users to define "Template" issues for quick creation.

Verified Documentation:

• How to create, edit, save, and delete forms | Jira Cloud | Atlassian Support

• A new way to manage intake in Jira

I hope this helps your teams stay organized and keeps your backlog clean!