A Jira transition screen shows the same fields, with the same rules, every time the transition runs. Native Jira has no way to show a field only when another field has a certain value, require a field on just one transition with a visible required marker, or pre-fill a value as the screen opens. The usual workarounds are a cloned screen per transition and a "Validate a field" validator that checks only on submit. Field Rules adds conditional fields to the transition screen without scripting: show a Rejection reason only on the Reject transition, require an Impact assessment only when Priority is Highest, set Resolution to Done when the Close screen opens.
Rules run live on the Issue Transition screen in company-managed Jira Software spaces, and on transitions in Jira Service Management spaces through the JSM Agent view. A rule can react to the values on the screen, the user running the transition, and which transition it is.
Show, hide, require and pre-fill fields on a transition
Show a field based on another field's value. Reveal a "Rollback plan" field the moment "Change type" is set to "Emergency", and hide it again when it isn't. Native Jira has no conditional visibility on a transition: the closest lever is a separate screen per transition, and even that can't branch on a field value or a user.
Make a field required based on another field, with a red asterisk. Require an "Impact assessment" field only when Priority is "Highest". The field gets a real red asterisk and an inline error, and stands down if it isn't on the screen. A native "Validate a field" validator shows no asterisk, fails only at submit, and blocks the transition even when the field is missing from the screen.
Filter dropdown options on a transition. On a Release transition, show only the active Fix version, not the retired ones. On a bug's Resolve transition, trim a "Root cause" single-select to the causes that actually apply. Native field options are one static list, identical everywhere.
Pre-fill a field when the transition screen opens. When the Close screen loads, set Resolution to "Done" and drop a formatted "Closure summary" template into a rich text field, ready to finish. Native field context defaults apply on Create only, and on a transition a field shows whatever the work item already has.
Make a field required on one specific transition
Transition conditions let a rule react to which transition is being run, not just that a transition screen is open:
- Transition name or Transition ID
- Destination status or destination status category (To Do, In Progress, Done)
That is the difference between "required on transition screens" and "required on this transition":
- Require the Rejection reason field only on the Reject transition
- Show deployment fields only when moving into a Done category status
- Lock a field once the work item leaves To Do
Lock, relabel and restrict fields during a transition
Every rule runs on the transition screen, not just the ones above:
- Lock a field read-only during the transition (Jira has no field-level read-only at all)
- Change a field's value reactively as another field changes on the screen
- Relabel a field just for this transition (a shared "Notes" field becomes "Reason for rejection" on Reject) without changing its global name
- Override a field's help text for this transition
- Restrict Assignee to self only during the transition
Validators and cloned screens vs conditional rules
| Validator and screen per transition | Field Rules |
|---|
Required marker | None, error at the top of the view on submit | Red asterisk and inline error |
Field missing from the screen | Transition is blocked | Rule stands down |
Depends on another field's value | No | Yes |
Depends on the user, group or role | No | Yes |
Show or hide a field | Only by using a different screen | Live, on the same screen |
Pre-fill when the screen opens | No, defaults apply on Create only | Yes |
Where you maintain it | Each transition and screen separately | Rules scoped to the spaces and work types they apply to |
The native path is a screen per variation and a validator per transition. Field Rules replaces that with a handful of conditional rules that react live, on the screens you already have.
Field Rules is free for teams of 10 users or less, with a 30-day trial for larger teams: Field Rules - UI Modifications for Jira. See what transition conditions can do.
Follow-up: Conditional fields in Jira - without scripting applies the same conditional behaviour across every Jira screen, with more real-world patterns to borrow.
