Editing Workflow Default Status In Progress

Big Jim July 15, 2017

I'm new to Jira so sorry if this is a silly question.

I'm trying to define a issue type workflow. This workflow includes BLOCKED and IN PROGRESS which seem to be default statuses. My problem is I want to edit the descriptions for the issue type I am working on but also want the default BLOCKED and IN PROGRESS to remain available for other issue types I may define later in the same project. Do I need to give them a different name to achieve this ? I presume it is possible to use more than one workflow per project ?

I hope that makes sense !

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Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
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July 16, 2017

Yep, it's easier to think of the status as being independent of the workflows.

JIRA has a list of global status.  When you build a workflow, you have to give each workflow step a single status.  Those status are pulled from the global list.  The workflow editor also allows you to amend that global list.

So, your blocked and in-progress status are shared objects on that list.  If you rename or edit them, you will affect *all* the workflows that are using them.  But you can use them in as many workflows as you want.

To use more than one workflow in a project, take a look at the "workflow scheme".  This is a project configuration setting that says "for this issue type in this project, use that workflow".  The defaults and project creation stuff all tend to set up a 1:1, so the workflow scheme says "for this project, use this workflow for all issue types".  But you are free to change them, having things like "For Bugs, use bug workflow, for new features, use new-thingy workflow, and for all other issue types, use the default"

Big Jim July 16, 2017

Thanks Nic ! So if I have two workflows, one for engineering and one for a test team and I want to add a different description reflecting what the status  IN PROGRESS actually means in the context of each of these workflows this is not possible ? So the only way to do so would be to define a status IN PROGRESS ENG TEAM and IN PROGRESS TEST TEAM ?  

I'm trying to set up a project and am new to Jira. Is there a step by step guide to the logical steps to be taken. For example, first define workflows, define tasks, populate users etc. 

Also interested if there is a nice step by step guide to workflows with tips as to what to avoid.

 

Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
Community Leader
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Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
July 17, 2017

Yes, you'll need two status with different descriptions.

The main tip for workflows is to always consider the resolution.  Think where you set it and clear it (And always set/clear it, even if you don't use the field)

A second one is *always* provide at least one route out of a status.   Even if you use a condition to say "only admins can do this" so most people can't do it, it's worth having the route.

I usually draw them out as a simple flow-chart first, which you can then translate into a diagram work-flow when your users are happy with it.

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Big Jim July 19, 2017

Thanks again Nic,

I seem to have a mess ! As mentioned above I changed the default status "IN PROGRESS" to "IN PROGRESS ENG" and of course this appears in every workflow. Now I would like to reset the global status. How do I do so ? In the list of statuses how do I identify what is globally applied ?

Thanks

Jim 

Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
July 19, 2017

If you go to Admin -> Issues -> Status, it lists all of them, along with a link to how many workflows a status is used in.

To flip in-progress-eng back, just rename it, then use the list of status to find out where you need to associate a different status for it.

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