Using status when column headings have changed

Question

Hi, I'm new to Jira and have been setting up my project but came across an issue. When I first started the project, I changed the existing 'To Do' 'In Progress' 'Done' columns to be my own headings (planning, discovery, set-up, build etc.). Then added a status within each issue. However, on the summary tab, 'Done' has 0 in it which I think I've worked out is because I changed the headings, but I want it to recognise the status field I set up within each issue. Is this possible? Or am I using the wrong template?

I also thought I was using 'Jira Work Management' but it seems I might be using 'Jira Software' It's for a web build so not sure if I'm using the best template?

Thank you

Julie d_Antin _Elements__bsgnak · Accepted Answer

Hi @Wendy and welcome to Community!

Could you add a screenshot of an issue and the board? That could help understand a bit better your configuration.

Jira Software includes lots of features for software teams, like sprints and release versions, that you might not need for your web build. You don't have to use those features, but if you want something a bit more basic, Jira Work Management could be a better solution.

I would recommend checking out a video or two like this: https://university.atlassian.com/student/path/1554210-get-started-with-jira-work-management?sid=fb46dce0-1c49-48a0-9091-e6e6385c3e4b&sid_i=0

Trudy P Claspill · Accepted Answer

Hello @Wendy

Welcome to the Atlassian community.

In your original post you indicated some confusion as to whether you are using Jira Work Management or Jira Software. Based on the screen image you provided you are working with a project created from a Jira Work Management template.

At the bottom of the panel on the left you should see a message that includes either "team-managed" or "company-managed". Which do you see? I suspect that it might be "team-managed". This is an indication of what I call the "architecture" of the project and determines who can make customization (like adding custom fields or changing the available issue Status values) and some other functionality options.

Jira has a built in Status field for specifying the current status of an issue. That built-in Status field is what you see here:

Jira also groups the Status values into color-coded Status Categories.

Grey colored statuses are in the "To Do" status category.

Blue statuses are in the "In Progress" status category.

Green statuses are in the "Done" status category.

When you started adding columns did you do so by clicking a + button to the right of the right-most column? That would be another indicator that you are using a "team-managed" project because that button is not available in a "company-managed" project.

When you added another column that would've added another Status value for the built-in Status field. The color coding would indicate which Status Category Jira added the new value to.

(There is another way to add new Status values/columns through Project Settings also.)

The arrangement of the statuses/columns should progress from left to right, grey to blue to green.

Items in a column with a green status are the ones that are counted in the Done widget in the third image you posted.

If there is a status that you want to change the Status Category for, that can be done through Project Settings > Issue Types. Select an issue type and click the Edit Workflow button.

Click on the status for which you want to change the category. Then change the category assigned to that status.

(This is the other place I mentioned where you can add more statuses/columns and remove existing statuses/columns.)

When you are done making changes click the Update Workflow button in the upper right corner. You will be prompted to confirm which issues types you want these changes applied to.

(You can opt to have different workflows/statuses for different issue types, but that makes things a bit more complicated. As you are new to Jira I advise you to keep it simple initially.)

With a Work Management project one thing that happens automatically is that issues in the green statuses are hidden when they have been in that status for more than 14 days. Jira does this to "declutter" the board, assuming that work that is "done" doesn't need to continue to be displayed on your board indefinitely.

I was not clear on this part of your response to @Julie d_Antin _Elements_

I tried to add status columns back in and thought i could move a task to that column when done, regardless of which phase of the project it came from, but it wouldn't let me as it said there was already one there?!

Can you provide screen images to illustrate this?