How to create checklist in task description?

[Leonardo Baiser]

I need create checklist in task description on Jira, how I can do this?

This function is available?

[Sebastian Brudziński · Accepted solution]

Hello @Leonardo Baiser

Checklists are currently not available as a core feature in Jira, however, there are several apps available that add the ability to work with checklists. We at SolDevelo have recently launched a cheap, lightweight version of actionable checklists in Jira issues as well. It is available for Jira Cloud and Jira Server and seems to satisfy your needs - Multiple Checklists for Jira

Here are just a couple of things you can achieve with checklists in Jira:

• Automatically add checklists to Jira issues upon their creation or at any point in time using JQL
• Track the Definition of Done in your projects
• Block Jira issue transitions if checklist items are not checked
• Configure and use custom statuses for checklist items

Best,
Sebastian.

[Louise Baker]

Hi Sebastian -
Is it possible to search for issues based on checklist status? Example: Search for issues that don't have "this certain task" completed?

[Sebastian Brudziński]

Hello @Louise Baker 

unfortunately, that's not possible yet, however, it's on our agenda and we plan to add some search capabilities based on checklist items later this year.

Best regards,
Sebastian

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

Issue Checklist Free allows searching for issues based on checklist status as per the documentation.

[Rafael Castillo]

@Jack Hunter [HeroCoders] 

I can see that the apps allow you to add a checklist below the description, How can I add the checklist within the description?

For example, I would like to add the checklist in the purple box from the issue description below.

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

@Rafael Castillo, that is not possible in Jira Cloud, unfortunately. 

[Sharon Paulson]

@Jack Hunter [HeroCoders] how do you add a checklist to automatically appear on only one tab in a screen. When I have added a checklist it applies it to all tabs

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

@Sharon Paulson, please reach out to the Issue Checklist support team for assistance. They will help: https://herocoders.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/1

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders] · Accepted solution]

Hi @Leonardo Baiser,

As already mentioned, it is not possible to add a functional checklist, with working checkboxes, to the issue description. 

You can only create a simple non-functional list in various forms (bullet, numbered, etc.).

There are a few third-party apps available in Atlassian Marketplace that fill this gap though.

Issue Checklist Pro for Jira Cloud that our company provides is one of them. It is simple to start (just install and go) Jira add-on with several advanced features ready to be discovered when needed. 

Issue Checklist Free app is free of charge version of the Issue Checklist Pro. It is an easy but most advanced and fastest-growing checklist app on the Marketplace. 

In case of questions, we are happy to help. 

Cheers,

Jack [HeroCoders]

[Sam Wilson]

It's kind of ridiculous that such a basic feature (which, for example, comes out of the box in Trello) requires adding a third-party plugin which, for a small team, costs 50% of the price as the base product. It also means that I know have to install, manage, and concern myself with Yet Another Vendor.

This isn't something that should be a paid add-on. Literally every other software tool on the market offers this functionality.

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

Well, @Sam Wilson

There is also another point of view.

If Atlassian worked on adding a checklist, better time tracking, default values and other useful and "basic features" to Jira, then they would not have time to add several "power features" that brought you to Jira because these features are not available in Trello and many other tools on the market. 

There is no software that satisfies all the needs. Fortunately, Jira has a mature community of vendors that mitigates the problem. 

Cheers,
Jack

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

There is also available free version of the Issue Checklist app: https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1220209/issue-checklist-free?hosting=cloud&tab=overview

[Alexander Whillas]

So following your argument JIRA's slogan should be "JIRA: Complexity before Simplicity" or just "JIRA: Complexity First!" :D

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

It is rather "flexibility" that brought you to Jira ecosystem I think. 

[Steven Ventimiglia]

To a certain extent, I agree with all of you.  

- The description is not just text, but a custom markdown.  And, generally, markdown allows for checkboxes - which JIRA's simply doesn't acknowledge.

- Understanding that, it may not be that they "simply don't acknowledge" it, though - considering that any checkbox checked needs to be recorded and stored in the database for future reference.

However, if paid add-ons are available to hack their way into the issue's description - allowing this functionality - it's definitely a feature that's missing from, quite frankly, a fundamental tool set that should be provided with JIRA Software at the very least (since it's an enhanced version of JIRA Core.)

Then again; comparing JIRA Server I've been using, to the live version of JIRA that's hosted by Atlassian - they seem to be different monsters, as well.  The update being more of a downgraded backstep, imo.

Even Trello works better with markdown, so there's really no excuse.  Then again, you can create a list (or column) on there, but can only archive it and never delete it.

Atlassian = You win some, you lose some.  (RIP, Hipchat.)

@Sam Maurer
@Alexander Whillas 
@Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]

[Vladimir Akopyan]

I am sorry, but this is a total absurdity. As others have mentioned, this is fundamental functionality of a markdown parcer. You might as well argue Jira should not support images

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

Tasks' list is not part of all markdown implementations. It is definitely not a standard: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7763

[Wasif_Altaf]

Is there a feature request for that? If not lets create a feature request! Thank you.

[Gabriel Dasilva]

Been or not a part of markdown... it is a feature that many other tools have. Also, if many of us requested over the time, maybe theres a valid reason and Atlassian should at least review the request. And don't get me wrong, I like the Atlassian tools and is what I'm used to... but I think many of us agree that Jira is not the most usable management tool at first or for every kind of user... that's why they created the Next-Gen Projects... I already checkout tools like Asana or Monday and they offer the same features and stability with a way better learning path... so

[alexandernostadt]

Indeed one of the features I enjoy at GitHub but at work we use Jira. So, I need to work with the missing checklist feature.

I also like to argue that I believe that it's not a highly individual feature which would be an argument to move it to a plugin or however they're called in the jira world.

[Leni Neto]

@Sam Wilson agree 100%. This is very basic feature and it should be available. No excuses.

@Jack Hunter [HeroCoders] I understand where you are coming from, but I don't agree with that at all. This is the same as selling the "best smartphone" except it doesn't make calls. Well, then call it smartsomethingelse, because a phone must make calls. 

This is a common misconception among software companies these days, specially SaaS, that focus on keeping adding more and more features while the existing ones don't work well or are incomplete.

It's nice to have an ecosystem around your product and the ability to buy missing functionality from 3rd party developers, but to a certain extent. No business likes the idea of buying something that has advanced features but doesn't have the basic. 

No business like to find themselves forced to pay extra to acquire basic functionality after deciding to pay more for a more robust solution.

It's a checkbox after all. As @Steven Ventimiglia pointed out, its Markdown. Come on...

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

@Leni Neto 

> This is the same as selling the "best smartphone" except it doesn't make calls

That is a completely skewed comparison. 

Jira does ticket/backlog/project management and does it well. Checkboxes are nice and highly useful but hiding time tracking is too. Both things are not possible in Jira natively. 

[Leni Neto]

@Jack Hunter [HeroCoders] Agree to disagree. It's not a skewed comparison by any means.

You can say "ticket/projec management" without checklists. They are not "nice", they are basic task management.

I understand they are not native in Jira, and that's the whole point of this discussion. They should be.

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

"should be" in your opinion means "does not have to be" in Atlassian's opinion 🤷

[Andy Norris]

Amazing to see the defensiveness of "marketplace partners." Almost like they have something to gain by JIRA not having basic functionality nailed. /s

[David Mošna]

How's it possible that for such a basic feature another plugin is needed? Jeez, just add checkboxes. Some microtasks just don't need to create another subtasks at all.

[Brigitte Donovan]

Is there a way to vote on a feature request to add checklists within Jira?

[Tom Hermann (Asynchrony)]

My first thought entering [ ] into a description was that it would render as an empty checkbox, then [X] would be checked. My team is considering self-hosted Jira, and I feel like this is a con of Jira over most other tools out there.

I honestly want to use Jira, but this lack of a feature makes it a harder sell for my team. I'll go try out the third party solutions, but I'd like to add an upvote for this feature.

https://github.blog/2013-01-09-task-lists-in-gfm-issues-pulls-comments/

[Tom Hermann (Asynchrony)]

I found (off) and (on), so that'll work. I just wish I could check to toggle.

[Richard Kasperowski]

Awesome! Here's another easy hack:

:black_check_box: for items that are unchecked

:check_mark: for items that are checked

[Olena Brazhko_Railsware_]

Hi @Leonardo Baiser

You can also check out Smart Checklist for Jira. With its functionality, you can easily:

• track the progress on the Agile Board,
• transition Issue to the next state only when all checklist items are checked,
• apply template as default for an issue type or upon issue creation.

About this and many more you can read in our Get Started guide.

Don't miss out on the possibility to set Custom statuses and Custom permissions :)

And of course, there's a free version available.

If you have any additional questions, be sure to reach to us at smartchecklist@railsware.com.

Cheers,

[Sumeet Shukla]

It's ridiculous that every basic feature is provided as paid plugins. Its high time that we move away from Jira and whole Atlassian.

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

There is a free and powerful checklist available too: Issue Checklist Free

[Deleted user]

this free add-on is only available for cloud, not server which is what I need. :( I too am terribly disappointed that a simple task list is not something built into the core functionality of the tool. 

[Hanieh Katebian]

@Jack Hunter [HeroCoders] This App is available for free for very small number of checklists (20) and it doesn't offer an overview of the checklist on the ticket in Next Gen. projects. So, basically it is useless and we have to pay for a "functional" one. 

[Jack Hunter [HeroCoders]]

@Hanieh Katebian,

No paid app will offer you progress in Next-Gen board cards. It is technically not possible in Jira at the moment AFAIK. 

As per the limit, it is for the Free version only. We introduced it after discovering companies with tens of thousands of checklist items using the Free version. 

There are no limits in the Paid version though. 

[Leo Diaz _ DEISER]

Hi @Leonardo Baiser!

You can use list but not checklist.... You have available in the Marketplace this app https://marketplace.atlassian.com/plugins/com.okapya.jira.checklist/cloud/overview

[Ivan-CG]

Hello every1,

I am facing the same need of simple checklist to mark subtasks by myself (no linking, no filtering, no search), which simple checklist icon would solve. I found another simple & straightforward solution that solves this 😁

Enjoy 😂💪

[Karyna Tyrnavska _SaaSJet]

Hi, @Leonardo Baiser !

If you`re ok with the Atlassian add-ons, I suggest you try out the Recurring Checklists and Report plug-in. 

My team has developed it to:

• manage recurring tasks
• create repetitive tasks automatically using the flexible scheduler
• control team performance by the one-page report.

Also, you can add checklists to the existing Jira issue manually

You`re welcome to try out 30-day free trial 

Read use case about how we use security checklists in SaaSJet

[Neetu Verma]

JIRA does have a solution, not ideal but it does

1. Create a custom field , type multiple checkbox

2. Define your Checklist

3. Add New Screen and link Custom Field just created on to this new screen.

4. During Transition you can use update workflow to popup new Screen you created at step 3.

Again, I love the other apps, and most probably will be going to PRO version of those app but if you need is to just track few items then you can use this workaround. It totally works. 

[pranitha gundi]

Can you be more specific about the steps. Are you talking about installing a Addon or is there a core feature in Jira to create checklists.

Thanks..

[Jaan Altosaar]

This is a core issue that is missing :( seconded! Why not just use markdown??

[alexandernostadt]

In my opinion it does help a lot to structure issues and therefore I see it as a valuable feature in an afaik enterprise-issue-management-tool. I would love to see this feature especially for self-organization ticket-wise. I currently use other non-jira tools but having all in one place is much more fun.

Installing 3rd party software is always risky and can make upgrades more painful. And it's not like one doesn't usually pay for Jira as I believe.