Bulk update issue descriptions

[Sam Vanderbilt]

I need to be able to bulk update many issues description fields at once. It seems that this is a new feature, but on the "Bulk Update" tool, I still do not see "Issue Description" as an option.

See message from the JIRA product team. Am I mistaken that this is in fact possible?

[Jerrold - Empyra]

Hi 

This task can be accomplished by utilizing automation. Through automation, we can efficiently update the description of multiple issues in bulk.

To begin, we need to set up a trigger for the automation. We will schedule the issue and run a JQL query to identify the specific project where updates are required. The JQL query should be formatted as follows: "project = [project name]".

Next, we define an action for the automation. In this case, we want to edit the issues' descriptions. Select the description field and input the changes you wish to make.

Automation rule - 

1. Trigger - scheduled issue - click on "run as JQL" and enter a JQL query that will return the issues that need to be edited. Please ensure that you uncheck the option to only include issues...

2. Action - select the description field from the "Choose Fields to Set" dropdown.

And provide the text that you would like to modify, where here I have provided "Bulk update issue".

After enabling the rule, proceed to the three dots located next to the "Return to Rules" option and select "Run Rule."

Once you click on the "Run Rule" button, the description field of all the issues from the JQL query will begin to be updated.

[Hannes Obweger - JXL for Jira]

Hi @Sam Vanderbilt

if you're open to solutions from the Atlassian Marketplace, you may want to have a look at the app that my team and I are working on, JXL for Jira.

JXL is a full-fledged spreadsheet/table view for your issues that allows viewing, inline-editing, sorting, and filtering by all your issue fields, much like you’d do in e.g. Excel or Google Sheets. You can also edit all your issue fields - including the description - in bulk, using copy/paste.

This is how it look in action:

This works across different columns in JXL, and also across JXL and pretty much any other tool, including e.g. Excel or Google Sheets. You can update any number of issues in one action, so you should be done with your work in no time. I should also add that JXL can do much more than that: From support for configurable issue hierarchies, to issue grouping by any issue field(s), sum-ups, or conditional formatting.

Any questions just let me know,

Best,

Hannes

[Derek Sheeman]

FWIW JXL has been a great solution for my team.  This is just one of the reasons why.

[Hannes Obweger - JXL for Jira]

Thank you for your kind words @Derek Sheeman - great to hear that JXL works so well for you!

[BHUSHAN PATIL]

Hi @Sam Vanderbilt ,

It is currently not possible to bulk edit the description of issues in Jira Cloud. The bulk edit feature to edit the description field is not available in the native Jira Cloud interface.

However, there are third-party apps available in the Atlassian Marketplace, such as "Advanced Bulk Edit for Jira," that provide extended bulk editing capabilities, including the ability to edit the description field of multiple issues at once.

Regards,
Bhushan