How do I bulk add pick list to custom field in Jira?

[Kolawole Aderupatan]

I have a request from the business to create a custom field and add over 2,500 pick list options. Is there a way to bulk add this list?

[Deepak Jain · Accepted solution]

Hi @Kolawole Aderupatan ,

You can use a trick with CSV importer to import 2500 options in a dropdown Field.

Create a spreadsheet with all 2500 option values in a single column, along with Summary of "DELETE THIS".

Save as CSV.

Import CSV in a project, populating custom field with contents of that single column.

Delete all 2500 issues where Summary = "DELETE THIS" and/or delete the project itself.

https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirakb/how-to-bulk-import-custom-field-values-for-certain-types-of-custom-field-827123935.html

Other option is to use scriptrunner plugin.

Hope this will help you !!

[Kolawole Aderupatan]

Hi Deepak. Thanks. This article helped.  https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirakb/how-to-bulk-import-custom-field-values-for-certain-types-of-custom-field-827123935.html

[Deepak Jain]

Happy to hear this !!

[Javier Peraita]

Hello @Deepak Jain @Kolawole Aderupatan

I have tried this metod (created a custom field with the first value, then tried to bulk import 250 issues from a csv including the column summary and a column for my new custom field).

I get to the "map fields" step and everything seems fine. However, when I try to import I get these warnings and the custom field does not import the additional values: 

Do you know what could be happening here?

[Kolawole Aderupatan]

Hi @Javier Peraita , I think the error is coming from your CSV file you are trying to import. First you need to create an issue in the project where the custom field is associated, after which you need to use the same issue key for the 250 rows. For the other columns you just need additional two. Summary and the custom field.
Summary detail will also remain the same for the 250 rows.

Only the custom field needs to have different details for the 250 rows based on the values you want to bulk import.

In summary you need just 3 columns in your CSV template.

1) Issue Key: Same value for all the rows based on the first issue you created.

2) Summary: Same value for all the rows based on the first issue you created.

3) Custom Field: New values for the 250 rows based on the details you want to bulk import.

Thanks.

[Adrien Seguy]

I was having the same null problem.  My mistake was going from Issues>Import instead of Administration > System > External System Import > CSV

[Martin Cleaver]

i.e. 

1. https://site.atlassian.net/jira/settings/system/external-import
2. Switch to the old experience
   1. (site.atlassian.net/secure/admin/ExternalImport1.jspa)
3. CSV
   1. https://site.atlassian.net/secure/admin/CsvSetupPage!default.jspa?externalSystem=com.atlassian.jira.plugins.jim-plugin%3AcsvImporter

[Tim Perrault]

Hi @Kolawole Aderupatan 

This KB article should be useful to you https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirakb/how-to-bulk-add-options-to-custom-fields-via-external-system-import-1115662994.html

[Kolawole Aderupatan]

I have looked at the article but it is referring to creating issues. What I need to do is just to add pick list to a custom field not creating issues in a project.

[Tim Perrault]

Well yea that is going to be one of the drawbacks of the import. You could create a test project and just upload fake issues there. That way you can just delete those issues without any problems and you add your options to the field. @Deepak Jain instructions would be perfect.

The other option is using add-ons like scriptrunner.

[Kolawole Aderupatan]

Yeah. Deepak answer helped. Thanks.