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A way to bulk copy custom field values from one custom field to another.

Jeremy Test

Everyone:

I have a situation where a client has a number of custom fields that need updating to different custom field types. I would prefer to stay out of the database or do project exports, although willing to do it if that is the only option.

Basically the client has successfully been using JIRA for quite some time, but some of the custom fields should be updated to meet newer requirements. For example one field that was only used for numbers before, now should be changed to a text field to bring in additional input.

I can create the second field, but the problem is they have ~400 issues that have values in the current field that will not be in the new field. Since they are not always the same value (where I can bulk edit things over to the new field), I am thinking it would be nice to copy from one field to another.

Another option might be to change the field type (number --> text), although that doesn't seem to be a good option either.

If anyone has any good ideas of some options that would be great.

Respectfully,

Jeremy Neuharth

Accepted answers

JamieA

Try the copy custom field values script from the script runner plugin. This will handle a bunch of conversions, and doesn't need any downtime. So you would create a new field, copy the values, delete the old field, and optionally rename the new field.

Some conversions you can do by changing the database customfieldtype table, but number to text is not one of those, because the storage is different.

Tyler C. Borg

This method can be used without any add-ons or plugins tested on JIRA OnDemand (Cloud). Also note you can probably use excel format for import but I prefer CSV. I tested this first by creating 3 issues before updating live data, I would suggest you do the same to become comfortable with the process. JIRA Administrator rights are needed for this method.

Go to Search for Issues in JIRA.
Identify all the issues you wish to update.
Adjust the columns to show your summary, issue key, and field with values(Due) to use.
Click export and select a format, for this example Excel (current fields).
Clean up the file, removing unnecessary columns, and everything but the header and data rows (export adds extra rows of footer/header content).
Go to JIRA Administration drop-down and select "System".
On the left pane under the heading "Import and Export" select "External System Import".
Choose CSV.
Choose file and select your CSV.
Select your project. Note you may need to adjust date format at this step.
Map your fields. You must have issue key and summary!
1. Issue Key (CSV field) => issue key (JIRA field).
2. Summary (CSV field) => Summary (JIRA field).
3. Field to use values (CSV field) => Field to update values (JIRA field). In my case it is "Due Date" => "Original Due Date".
Click next and it will perform the update and indicate the result.

All comments

JamieA

Some conversions you can do by changing the database customfieldtype table, but number to text is not one of those, because the storage is different.

Sorin Sbarnea (

The script runner script has two problems: both fields have to be custom. You cannot merge two fields.

So if you have two description fields and want to merge then you have to code.

Andy D

Jamie, I tried that built-in script, but was unsuccessful in copy a number custom field into a text custom field.

Error was:java.lang.ClassCastException: java.lang.Double cannot be cast to java.lang.String

Any ideas?

JamieA

Not all conversions are supported - you could modify the code to put the cast in...

Marta Lopez Reyes [UOC]

Do you have any new solution?

JamieA

What's wrong with the old solution?

Marta Lopez Reyes [UOC]

Ohh just that I have never used the copy custom field values script from the script runner plugin.

As your last answer was last year I thought that probably there's a new way to perform it.

Thanks!

SABVARX

Thanks for the hint to use the copy custom field values script from the script runner plugin. It worked fine as well for migration of custom field values of type "Date Time" to type "Date" .

Lisa Wright

Any way to do this with the Cloud version of Jira? The script runner plugin is not available.

Marlene Cote

this script runner script won't work between these 2 field types, label and URL.

Melanie Binks

I'd like to know this too

A_m0w20h

How would you convert from a label to a url, or are you talking about the converse?

Tyler C. Borg

Go to Search for Issues in JIRA.
Identify all the issues you wish to update.
Adjust the columns to show your summary, issue key, and field with values(Due) to use.
Click export and select a format, for this example Excel (current fields).
Clean up the file, removing unnecessary columns, and everything but the header and data rows (export adds extra rows of footer/header content).
Go to JIRA Administration drop-down and select "System".
On the left pane under the heading "Import and Export" select "External System Import".
Choose CSV.
Choose file and select your CSV.
Select your project. Note you may need to adjust date format at this step.
Map your fields. You must have issue key and summary!
1. Issue Key (CSV field) => issue key (JIRA field).
2. Summary (CSV field) => Summary (JIRA field).
3. Field to use values (CSV field) => Field to update values (JIRA field). In my case it is "Due Date" => "Original Due Date".
Click next and it will perform the update and indicate the result.

Melanie Binks

You may have just made my week by that message!! I had no idea you could import to update issues that easily! Just tested and it works wonders .. thank you SO much!! We did end up managing to get the topic working above .. but your instructions will helps us out with sooooo many other things, thank you again

David Hergert _PAYX_

@Tyler C. Borg - did you mean to say "Summary (CSV field) => summary (JIRA field)"? Do you even need the Summary field, could you get away with just Issue Key and Field To Copy?

Tyler C. Borg

@David Hergert thanks for catching that typo, I edited it. Yes the summary is required even when updating.

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