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How do we add a default value for a system field (description)?

Nizan Freedman_1jtrkn

We would like to have a pre-populated description field for some of our issue types,
How can this be done?
We have ScriptRunner if that helps

Added clarification: We need the value to be prepopulated on the Create screen so the creator can edit it, not After the creation.

Accepted answers

Ste Wright

Hi @Nizan Freedman

Does the pre-population need to be on the Create screen (i.e pre-issue creation)? Or populated during/after creation?

I would consider the need for pre-population as part of this process. For example if it's a Story Template, you could end up with lots of Stories with just the template in them!

Ensure this requirement isn't going to leave you with unnecessary data. And, if the pre-populated text requires additional modification from your users to make it useful, that they're all aware of the upcoming enhancement.

----------

For pre-issue creation, there is no easy solution on Cloud. For templating, there are apps - such as Issue Templates for Jira - which might help.

Or, there is a workaround I've seen before - similar to this answer.

In summary you would:

Create a custom field called "Description". Please it on the Create Screen, removing the system default "Description" field.
Hide the custom field on Edit/View Screens, keeping the standard "Description" field.
Ensure the fields are setup correctly on the Issue Layout
Set a default value for the custom field, for pre-creation
Duplicate the data from the custom field to the system default field during creation, using either a post-function or an automation rule (my preference).

----------

For post-issue creation, i.e populating data into "Description" after the create button has been pressed, you could just use an Automation Rule

The rule could trigger when an issue is created, and the action would be to set text into Description.

----------

If you need help with either of these approaches, please let me know - I'd be happy to provide more detailed instructions

For pre-issue creation especially, there are a few moving parts to navigate, especially for the new issue view!

Ste

All comments

Niranjan

Hi,

Script runner lets you to set default value for desc using behaviours.

https://scriptrunner.adaptavist.com/4.2.0.2/jira/behaviours-overview.html#_setting_a_default_description

Ste Wright

Hi @Nizan Freedman

Does the pre-population need to be on the Create screen (i.e pre-issue creation)? Or populated during/after creation?

I would consider the need for pre-population as part of this process. For example if it's a Story Template, you could end up with lots of Stories with just the template in them!

----------

For pre-issue creation, there is no easy solution on Cloud. For templating, there are apps - such as Issue Templates for Jira - which might help.

Or, there is a workaround I've seen before - similar to this answer.

In summary you would:

Create a custom field called "Description". Please it on the Create Screen, removing the system default "Description" field.
Hide the custom field on Edit/View Screens, keeping the standard "Description" field.
Ensure the fields are setup correctly on the Issue Layout
Set a default value for the custom field, for pre-creation
Duplicate the data from the custom field to the system default field during creation, using either a post-function or an automation rule (my preference).

----------

For post-issue creation, i.e populating data into "Description" after the create button has been pressed, you could just use an Automation Rule

The rule could trigger when an issue is created, and the action would be to set text into Description.

----------

If you need help with either of these approaches, please let me know - I'd be happy to provide more detailed instructions

For pre-issue creation especially, there are a few moving parts to navigate, especially for the new issue view!

Ste

yaniv.shoshani

Hi Nizan,

A simple way is to add a Post Function in the Workflow of your issue type in the first transition , and Set field value (of any system field) to the value you need.

It will work on a per workflow basis, it is simple to implement.

BR,

Yaniv (Methoda)

Nizan Freedman_1jtrkn

Thanks @yaniv.shoshani

Added a clarification - We need it on Create, before the creation ends...

Nizan Freedman_1jtrkn

Thanks @Niranjan

In the cloud Script runner, there is no behaviours option AFAIK. Can you please correct me and point to such a documentation?

Nizan Freedman_1jtrkn

Thanks @Ste Wright for the detailed answer!
Yes, pre issue creation indeed.

I understand your proposed workaround and I have my partial dislike to it due to the fact we are "faking" the actual description and need to maintain automation around changes to it.... but I understand that might be the only way....

Niranjan

Sorry, just realized that it is cloud versions. You are correct. Cloud versions do not have behaviors functionality. You may consider javascript/html code in the field configuration.

Ste Wright

Hi @Nizan Freedman

True - but if setup correctly, it's not substantially different from a user-perspective.

What is the need driving the pre-population of the Description field? There might be an alternative I can suggest?

Ste

Janco Hoekstra_cvhkjf

Sorry for us, but javascript in the field configuration is disabled in Jira Cloud.
In my case want to set a prevalue for the summary field but for that I haven't found a sollution jet.
What I want to do is get a default value in my summery field so on creation jira doesn't complain about the summary field has no value. As a postfunction of create, I set the value of the summary to the value of the concatenation of two other obligatory fields in the Issue so uniqeness of the summary field is no issue.
In Jira Server this was possible by putting:

in the Description of the summary field, but this doesn't work anymore in cloud.

So if anyone has a solution for this, I would be delighted.

Moghal Jameer

Hi,

Can we have Contexts and Default Values option for other fields in System Field Section other than Description.? Like Security Level,Created and Updated so that i can use the fields in Import process?

Charlie_pzrs6s

the system field Comments is not visible to set.

it is not possible to set it please?

Tenzing Doleck

Hi @yaniv.shoshani

Hi I was able to configure this - but with an outstanding issue.

The post function works in that it is copying the customdescirption field to the description field . However it only does so once ticket is done being created . Not at the moment when you hit create ..

So now when I hit create-- the description field is still bank .

This is for companymanaged jira cloud - i would like the field to populate pre-creation.

This is my set up :

Screen Shot 2022-10-27 at 11.19.27 AM.png

Jarosław Solecki [Deviniti]

@Nizan Freedman Quite a long time since you posted but maybe you still struggle with such a problem.

There were made few changes in how Jira works which allowed us to create solutions for teams that have a need of making a create screen more flexible and usable for users. One of the annoying problems has been screens that are not designed for the user context. We made a few improvements to help with that. One of the things we introduce is the ability to set Default Values for fields.

Moreover, you also gain some additional abilities like set value based on condition, and conditional show/hide fields, making them required or read-only.

You can benefit from all those things with Dynamic Forms for Jira. If you have any questions or would like to have a demo session just book it here.

Leander Rijnders

@Nizan Freedman

I had the same question and was searching a lot for a simple solution.

I have finally found a solution which is much easier.

It's this app: https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1211873/default-values-for-create-issue-screen-issue-templates?tab=overview&hosting=cloud

There are more options, but most of them are paid and this one is free to use and works great. Hope this helps you

Simon Esposito

Yes, Atlassian's answer here (and in many other places) is ridiculous.

"Can you set a default value for the System Fields"

Atlassian:

   - "No, BUT why would you want to?"
   - "No, but just replace the System one with a Custom one with the same name"
   - "No, but just buy some third party marketplace add-on that solves it for us"

Hey, Atlassian, why dont YOU replace the System fields with Custom ones, if thats what it takes, or why dont you BUY a third party marketplace app and use it natively if you wont Dev things yourself......

Ste Wright

There's a free App if that helps? Check out Default Values for 'Create Issue' screen

Atlassian did also start working on this for Description and Priority, but the work was paused back in April - see JRACLOUD-4812

Ste

James_9tn3tj

Many thanks Leander, this is the perfect solution for what I've been wanting to do for ages.

Héctor Z.

Hi,

I just needed to pre-fill the Description field and I solved this this way:

Go to Issues-> System Fields

2024-04-12 08_20_44-System fields - CETITEC JIRA — Mozilla Firefox.png

Add a new context 2024-04-12 08_22_14-Configure field_ Description - CETITEC JIRA — Mozilla Firefox.png Define the scope of this context and the default value you want for the field to have.