Different Default Custom Field Values for each Issue Type (within a Project)

[GR_MW]

Simple request:

Within a project, I have custom fields.  I would like to have default values for some of those which will differ depending on issue type selected. 

So far I can't find any way to achieve this. 

I've looked at field contexts and field schemes, and field configuration schemes, and neither of those seem capable of handling this requirement. 

[John Funk]

Hi @GR_MW  - there is no way to do that. You can’t have separate default values per context. You would need to create multiple custom fields.

[GR_MW]

Yes, I was afraid of that, and creating/duplicating custom fields was going to be my last-ditch workaround if there's no other way. It just feels really clunky to do that. 

Do you know if there's a reason it's not configurable via field configurations?  Seems the logical place for it to live. 

[John Funk]

I have wondered that myself - but I have no idea why it's not there. 

[Mark Segall]

Hi @GR_MW and welcome to the community!

This is possible with field configurations.  It would work like this:

1. Create Field Configurations for each of the issue types 
2. Create a Field Configuration Scheme and assign all of the field configurations created in step 1 to their respective issue type
3. In your project, change the Field Configuration Scheme to the one created in step 2

[GR_MW]

Thanks Mark for taking a look.

I don't see how or where, in a field configuration, one can specify "default values" for a field.

Can you please point me to any documentation that shows that?

It would be great if that worked, as I have already set up Field Configurations for each issue type, and a Field Configuration Scheme(s) for them.  These work great for customizing field descriptions, hiding fields, and marking fields required (or not). 

I just don't see any place within those structures to specify different default values

[Mark Segall]

Whoops - Sorry I just realized that field configuration is description only.  You said that you tried field contexts.  Did you explicitly set each context for issue type and that still didn't work?

Note - As soon as you start setting issue type field contexts, you've basically taken that field away from other projects that want to use it differently.

[GR_MW]

Yes, I looked into contexts - and unless I have missed it, or misunderstood, the docs say that we can have only one field context within a project (though not sure why).

That rules out this method as > 1 context would be required in order to differ the defaults by issue type.

I guess a workaround (though, a bad one) would be to just duplicate fields where we need to customize the default by issue type. But that's tedious and leads to clutter.