What's the point of Forms?

Question

I was hoping to use Forms to help automate my team's new work intake process, but it seems like the normal Jira (vs. JSM) version of this feature is so limited that I'm genuinely struggling to see how it could help us.

Originally, my plan was to create a series of text fields that would allow non-technical users to provide the minimal set of information necessary. The form (or Automation) would use these values to set fill out a templatized description, create a summary, set the parent epic, etc.

Unfortunately, it appears that everything I had in mind is out of scope. You can only select from existing issue fields, you can't compose an issue field from input values, you can't provide defaults, you can't pre-fill a field and hide it from the user, there's no automation trigger for form submissions, smart values don't seem to expose that an issue was created in response to a form submission, and the lack of default values prevents you from triggering an automation based on a given field's value.

At this point I'm genuinely at a loss as to how to get value out of Forms in their current incarnation. Am I missing something?

Olha Yevdokymova_SaaSJet · Answer

Hello @Simeon Vincent

It sounds like you're looking for a more robust solution to handle your team's work intake process, and I completely understand your frustration with the current limitations of native Jira forms. If you're open to exploring an add-on, Smart Forms for Jira might be the perfect fit for your use case. Let me explain how it addresses the challenges you’ve outlined:

Why Smart Forms for Jira?

* Custom Fields and Composed Inputs:

* With Smart Forms, you’re not limited to existing issue fields. You can create custom form fields tailored to your needs, compose inputs, and map them to issue fields in Jira (e.g., combining inputs into a templatized description or summary).

* Default Values and Pre-Fill Options:

* Smart Forms allows you to pre-fill from options with Jira field values (e.g., parent, epic, labels)

* Trigger Automations on Form Submission:

* Form submissions can act as triggers for Jira Automation. For example:* Automatically assign the issue to the right team.
* Send notifications to stakeholders.
* Update other issue fields or statuses based on submitted form data.

* External Form Sharing:

* If you’re working with non-technical users outside Jira, Smart Forms lets you share forms externally (via link, embed on a webpage, or Customer Portal). Responses map directly to Jira fields, creating issues automatically.

* Advanced Logic and Conditions:

* You can set up conditional logic to show/hide fields based on user input, ensuring your form remains clean and user-friendly for non-technical submitters.

* Templates and Scalability:

* Create templates for common requests (e.g., work intake) and reuse them across projects, making it easier to manage and scale your processes.

* Various Sharing options: add to issues automatically or manually, share via link or embed on website or confluence,  or add to jsm customer portal.

Addressing Your Specific Goals

* "Compose an Issue Field from Input Values":
You can Map multiple form fields to create a structured summary or description.

* "Set Default Values":
Pre-fill form fields with default values like cost center, epic or priority.

* "Trigger Automation from Form Submissions":
Automate task routing, notifications, or custom actions based on form submissions.

If this sounds like it could solve your challenges, feel free to check out Smart Forms for Jira. It’s designed to enhance Jira’s native capabilities and give you the flexibility to tailor your forms and workflows to your team’s needs.

Let me know if you’d like a demo or further guidance!

Simeon Vincent_yy9j9d · Answer

Even if it's speculation, it's still great to hear. Thanks :)

Jack Brickey · Answer

Hi @Simeon Vincent , indeed the non-advanced forms are limited when you compare to JSM forms (aka Proforma forms). With that said you will see the advanced forms in Jira in the future I believe. This will include the ability to leverage Automation on form fields that are not associated with custom fields.

note: I am speaking solely as a user here not an Atlassian employee so my input is based partially on speculation derived from bits of info within the community.