Calendar using custom Date/Time fields?

Question

I'm testing a Jira space to track RFCs, and would like to be able to use custom fields for start and end time that have Date/Time rather than just Date.

Is this possible using native functionality, or will it need a marketplace add on to be able to do this?

If the latter, any recommendations?

Birkan Yildiz _OBSS_ · Answer

Hey @Alex Cook

To answer your first question: natively, yes! Jira has a built-in "Date Time Picker" custom field type. You can create your Start Time and End Time fields using this specific type to capture both the date and the exact time for your RFCs. However, if your goal in "tracking" is to calculate the actual duration or elapsed time between those two custom Date/Time fields, native Jira doesn't do this easily without complex automation workarounds.

For calculating that duration, a Marketplace app is the best route. Full disclosure, I'm on the team that makes Timepiece - Time in Status for Jira, and we recently introduced a feature for this exact scenario. Instead of relying only on workflow status changes, you can configure our reports to use your custom Date/Time fields as the exact "Start At" and "Stop At" points. This allows you to calculate the true duration of your RFCs based on those precise timestamps.

This Atlassian Community article explains it if you want to dig deeper. 
You can also visit Timepiece’s Atlassian Marketplace page.

Best, 
Birkan

Martin Runge · Answer

Hi @Alex Cook Welcome to the Atlassian community!

While the standard Jira Dashboard 'Calendar' gadget is limited to Date fields, you can achieve this with native functionality if you have the right product tier or are using Confluence:

* My favorite: Jira Service Management (JSM) Change Calendar in the Premium plan is designed for RFCs and supports custom Date/Time fields. To set it, go to Project Settings > Change Management and map your custom Date/Time fields to the 'Planned start' and 'Planned end' slots. The benefit: It includes hour-level precision and visibility of maintenance and freeze windows.
* Alternative: Team Calendars for Confluence
If your team uses Confluence Premium, you can create a 'Jira Event' calendar in a Confluence space. Create a calendar and select Add Event > Jira Issue Dates. Choose your custom Date/Time fields as the start and end points. The data remains in Jira and syncs automatically, while the visualization happens in Confluence. This is excellent for high-level visibility across the organization.
* I am not sure, but you could also try building a custom dashboard (app) with Rovo. @Caterina Curti might love that idea and take it to the #ForgeAppJam. #FunWith-Forge

As @Anastasia Andriyanova _Teamlead_ and @Nick mentioned, you can also use 3rd party apps from the marketplace.

Anastasia Andriyanova _Teamlead_ · Answer

Hi @Alex Cook!

Native Jira functionality indeed doesn't support visualizing custom Date/Time fields effectively, but our solution is specifically built to handle this. You can easily map your custom start and end Date/Time fields to the calendar to track your RFCs with high precision.

Just to add to what's been said — I'm from Teamlead, the developers of the Calendar for Jira app.

You can check out our version here:  https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1210975/calendar-for-jira-timeline-roadmaps-and-custom-events?hosting=cloud&tab=overview

If you have any questions during your trial, feel free to reach out to us at support@teamlead.one — we’re happy to help!