Field's default value and 'required' attribute. Missing placeholder option?

Question

Hi there. We have custom fields that are required by the user to fill in. To help the user fill it in, we put some default values. Jira sees the default value as input, so no additional input is needed (and users do not fill it in). How to overcome this?

The 'default values' are actually start of sentences for users to finish. I could create separate fields for each one with the default value as the title or something but this gets messy quickly.

So how to make the field requirement as an addition to the default value? For this exact purpose placeholders are created. This is not an option in JSM correct? Why not?

Thanks.

Nico_hfm0e0 · Answer

Hey @J B !

If you're working on a JSM form, you can control the regex pattern expected in your custom field.

Users won't be able to submit the request if the regex is not respected.

Here an example:

Gor Greyan · Answer

Hi @J B

This isn’t working because Jira treats a default value as if the user already entered something themselves. From Jira’s point of view, the field is no longer empty, so the “required” rule is skipped.

Because Jira validates fields purely on a technical level, it has no way to tell whether the user meaningfully added information or just left the default text as-is. So the system thinks everything is fine, even though from a human perspective it clearly isn’t.

Atlassian actually solved this properly in Jira Service Management Forms, where helper text and placeholders exist separately from the actual data.

Marc -Devoteam- · Answer

Hi @J B

If you pre-fill a field with information, this is seen as content.

This can't be circumvented.

You could provide a field description on the fields used in a request, but there is no option to force people on finishing information put as default value.

You could also provide addition guidance on providing a Request Type description. This will provide information at the top of a request, that could be useful as guidance.