How can I change a custom field type label to a multi select field?

[Firas Amer]

The DEV environment was originally developed as a label field, and I would like to change it to a multi-select field, how can I do that? Thanks

[John Funk · Accepted solution]

Hi Judit - Short answer is you can't. You have to create a new field and then existing values from the label to the multi select. 

[Cody Stevens · Accepted solution]

Hey @Firas Amer

Unfortunately there is not a way to change an already made field type into another field type. You would have to create a new field with the new type, copy the options from the old field over to the new one and then delete or hide the old field.

[Firas Amer]

Hi Cody, 

Thanks for the quick reply. That is what I was afraid of. I cannot just delete the old field, because it is used for report. Also I would like to make this field required. Shall I just take the value of label field, and import it somehow to the new field? After that I could delete...

[Cody Stevens]

Hey @Firas Amer ,

Yeah best thing would be to make the new field, add the values you need to it. Then you could reconfigure your reports to look at the new field and bulk edit the current issues to change the field values to the appropriate ones. To make the field required, you would go into the Field Configuration Scheme, find the field and then set it to required.

That's the best path in my opinion. Hopefully that helped!

[Firas Amer]

yes, thanks...if I had multiple values can i bulk change all of these to the new field?

[John Funk]

Yes, but you have to bulk change each value at a time. For example, if you have values a, b, c in the labels field, then you have to convert all of the A's at one time, and then all of the B's, etc. 

Hope that makes sense

[Firas Amer]

ah ok..great..Thank you John!