Can I make the field "Issue Type" non-editable (except for jira-administrators)?

[Markus Dressler]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for a way to make the "Issue Type" non-editable, except of course when creating an issue and except for jira-administrators.

Until now, I did not succeed to google a way to do this.

The reason is that our contractor changed the issue type in one case and should not be allowed to do that because it is relevant for accounting. I cannot deny our contractor the user right "Edit issues" completely.

Thanks a lot for any indication how this can be done. I am using JIRA v6.1.7.

Best regards,

  Markus Dreßler

[Avril Bower · Accepted solution]

Hi @Markus Dressler, 

The only way to 'Edit' the issue type is to actually 'Move' (under the More menu) the task from one issue type to another. I generally restrict this to sys admin and project admins. You can restrict this on your permission scheme for your project, this way the contractor can still edit regular fields for a task but they will not be able to move tasks around on you. 

image2016-8-3 8:49:17.png

Hope this helps!

Avril 

[Markus Dressler]

Thanks a lot for your answer. But I am afraid "Move Issues" is already restricted in my project to jira_administrators.

Nevertheless, when I log in with a user that definitively is not in that group, he still can change the issue type when an issue is assigned to him:

testuser_can_change_issuetype.pngtestuser_without_adminrights.pngjira_move_issues.png

[Avril Bower]

Okay, Got it. I looked at this in my system (server 7.1).

I had actually never thought to put Issue Type on Edit screens so I've never run into this before. You are correct - here is what is happening (if I am not mistaken): 

You have two issue types using the same screens as well as the same workflow *and* the Edit screen has the Issue Type field on it. 

With the above conditions all true, JIRA does allow one to change the issue type in this manner. 

To fix you have two options:

You can simply take the Issue Type field off of the Edit (and any other screen you have it on) screens. This will allow the groups that you allow to change issue types using the Move function but prevent anyone else from changing it while editing/assigning. 

OR

Make sure that your issue types use separate screens and/or workflows. The screens and workflows can be carbon copies of each other but with different names. The Name is what matters here. If you have them on different screens/workflow your Issue Type field will display something like this: image2016-8-3 11:36:33.png

Downside, this can make maintenance a headache if you have to do regular updates. 

Does that work for you?

Avril 

[Nicolas Bourdages]

If both issue types use the same workflow, a simple Edit will work to change the issue type. If you want to prevent users without Move permissions to edit the issue type, you need to use a different workflow. I don't think it needs to be much different, a copy of the workflow with a different name should work.

[Nicolas Bourdages]

I have another possibility that involves some workflow trickery, but doesn't require multiple workflows:

1. Use "Issue Type" in the View and Create screens, but not Edit in your Screen Scheme
2. In your workflow, make a transition from a status, back onto itself. e.g from "In Progress" to "In Progress".
3. Use a transition screen that displays Issue Type in these transitions
4. Use a workflow condition that only allows members of the Admin project role or jira-admin group

That will create a "private" transition in each status, only visible to admins, where you can change the issue type without changing the status. You may want to remove the Generic event from these transitions to avoid notifications.

[Markus Dressler]

Thanks a lot, that was the crucial information i was missing.

I just use a differently named copy of the workflow for Issuetype "Error" and now the move permissions are in effect regarding the issue type edit.

Great!

As for your second possibility, it seems more elegant but also the configuration seems to be more time-consuming. Since administrating JIRA is not my primary task I will postpone that for later

[Mathieu de Lafond]

Hi,

You might want to use Issue Type Filters plug-in for this case. It allows you to choose, for each issue type, which users are allowed to select it when creating/editing an issue.

I installed it a month ago because I had a Client Request issue type I wanted to restricts our clients to, and it got the job done. And they can't chose any other issue type : you could block access to your contractors to those problematic issue types, and add a standard issue type "for contractors only". And then you change the issue type when needed.

It's not a cheap plug-in but it is quite useful.

Regards,

Mathieu

[Markus Dressler]

Sounds interesting, thanks, will maybe try this later.

Unfortunately, in our federal agency I will have to go through a lenghty approval process if the plugin is not for free, so for now I will stick with Nicolas' solution.

[Jonas Andersson]

This would be easier to do on a project level, by creating a new project and assigning a very strict permission schema that only allows members of the jira-administrator group to create/browse/whatever else you want to permit. Not sure, but i don't think it's possible to do on a issuetype level.