How to set resolution field 'Unresolved' through all phases of workflow until it's Done?

[Sadia Aslam]

Hey,

 Currently Resolution field is not displaying on the issue screen at all. I need to achieve the following:

1. I need to display Resolution field (not a drop down) on issue screen.

2. As soon as the issue is created, the value of resolution field should beset to Unresolved. It should be displayed as Unresolved during all the transitions like: In Progress, In QA, In Review, etc. Resolution should be set to Done only when 'done' or 'won't work on it' transitions are performed on it. Screen shots are attached how it should look like. 

Please guide how to achieve this.

[Joe Pitt]

DO NOT PUT RESOLUTION ON ANY FIELD EXCEPT IN TRANSITION YOU WANT TO SET IT. 

Resolution is a special field and it is ALWAYS required when presented. The value is always displayed on the issue detail screen. 

[Sadia Aslam]

@Joe Pitt  Thanks for the response. As mentioned in the above screen shots, I need to display Resolution field all the while i.e. it should be displayed on the screen during all phases. It's value will be updated from Unresolved to Done when closed transition will be performed on it. It's a requirement from my company. Also I don't need resolution screen at all. 

[Sadia Aslam]

@Joe Pitt                                                                                                                              Please how to add resolution field on issue edit screen.

[Sadia Aslam]

@Joe Pitt                                                                                                                                            "The value is always displayed on the issue detail screen." How can I achieve this?

[Joe Pitt]

As @Thomas Schlegel said you're using the new view. 'this view indeed is showing the resolution only, if it is set. '  Your people just need to know if it isn't there it isn't resolved. That is a simple training issue.  I don't use that view, I'm still an old timer

[Tom Thompson]

Don't user Resolution... it is a ridiculously complicated field to understand and is just WRONG when it is set to "Unresolved".  Gadgets show it as "Resolved" even when it is set to "Unresolved" and there is no way to set it to empty.  Quite humorous truthfully.

Have no idea what they were thinking!!!

[Jack Brickey]

It works well for me. Can you explain the “gadgets show as resolved”? Which gadget(s)? I would like to investigate.

[Joe Pitt]

@Tom Thompson To set it to unresolved you need to pass it through a transition that CLEARS it. Unresolved is NULL in the database.

[Tom Thompson]

Created versus Resolved gadget/chart treats "Unresolved" as Resolved (Done).  We tried to remove "Unresolved" and remove the defaults so it is empty.  But when creating an issue, we now have to supply a category for Resolved.  So we are dropping the whole "Resolution" use for now as it doesn't work if "Unresolved" falls into Done category.  You can tell me all you want about fixing it with transitions, etc.  But our transitions are very open ended and we don't want to muck them up.  

The bottom line is why is "Unresolved" considered Resolved (Done) -- makes the whole thing useless.

[Jack Brickey]

It seems you have some issues with your config. Possibly the admin has made the field required which would explain why it must be updated in the Create screen. I have seen this before and it will cause a lot of issues and needs to be address ASAP. Unresolved = empty = null as Joe mentioned above. 

also be sure not to try creating a value of “ unresolved“ as that will become a resolution. 

[Tom Thompson]

I am the admin, but if you have to go into field configurations, it sort of doesn't work out of the box, huh?  Turn it on and it should work.  

The fact is "Unresolved" is mapped to "Done" out of the box.  You can tell me that is a feature, but a feature I won't be using.

I didn't create "Unresolved", it was there?  Cloud version.

Moving on, thanks!

[Thomas Schlegel]

Hi @Sadia Aslam ,

you have to set the resolution in your workflow. 

Add a workflow function "Update issue field" to any transition which ends in a closed status (e.g. done or won't work): 

For any of your transitions which starts in a closed state (e.g. reopen) add the function "Update issue field"  and clear the resolution.

[Sadia Aslam]

Thanks @Thomas Schlegel                                                                                                     I have implemented the above solution but resolution field is not displaying on issue screen. How to display it? Please guide.

[Joe Pitt]

I don't understand what you're referring to by 'on issue screen'. In both of the the screen shots the resolution is displayed. You need to tell us what screen you think it should be on. It can't be on the create screen, edit screen, or any transition screen except the one where you want it set.  

[Sadia Aslam]

@Joe Pitt                                                                                                                             I need to display Resolution field very after an issue is created successfully. I think these are edit and view screens where I want to get the resolution field displayed. 

[Joe Pitt]

It always appears on the issue details. there is no reason to put it on any screen except where it is to be set.

Resolution Field can't be made optional. It is ALWAYS required when presented on any screen except the view screen. Putting it on the view screen is pointless because it always appears on the issue details. DO NOT put the field on any screen except the one presented in the transition where it is to be set. Resolution is a special field in JIRA. It has an initial value of ‘Unresolved’, which means the field is NULL in the database. It is ALWAYS required when it appears on the screen. ONLY display it on the screen during a transition to the status where you want it set. Once it is set the issue ID will appear with as strikethrough. If you re-open an issue the transition from closed to reopen needs to have a post function to CLEAR the resolution field to set it back to Unresolved.

[Sadia Aslam]

@Joe Pitt Please observe the screen shots above. That's actually requirement and I have to customize it as per resolution field is displaying during all phases (Statuses) of workflow displayed in the screen shots. You can see the value of Resolution field is appearing as Unresolved when status is To Do, In Progress, Ready to Be Tested while Resolution is set as Done only when the status is done. Now Please guide how can I do this.   

[Thomas Schlegel]

@Sadia Aslam , 

this is the default behaviour. The resolution field is always visible and unless you change it, it will show the value "Unresolved". You don't have to do anything.

Your screenshots are showing the default behaviour, exactly what you're describing. So if these screenshots do not show your problem, could you please upload screenshots of your problem so we can get a better understanding of the problem?

[Sadia Aslam]

@Thomas Schlegel 

Resolution field is not displaying currently. Here are the screen shots: 

[Joe Pitt]

As @Thomas Schlegel says, this is normal behavior. It sounds like you want the resolution field to show the status. The is not what it is for.  It should appear as unresolved until you set it when closing the issue. Any value other than the default of unresolved will cause the issue to be considered resolved and the assigned to me filter and several others won't work as desired. 

[Thomas Schlegel]

@Sadia Aslam 

thank you for the new screenshots. This makes clear that you are using the "New Issue View" in Jira - this view indeed is showing the resolution only, if it is set. Then it looks like this:

As far as I know, you can change this behaviour only by switching off the new issue view in your personal settings.

[Joe Pitt]

@Sadia Aslam since this is a known behavior training should suffice since resolution is always unresolved until set. It is the same behavior of JIRA not showing fields in the detail screen if it doesn't have something in it. 

[Sadia Aslam]

@Thomas Schlegel  

Thanks for your response. Yes, I toggled Lab to view the issue in dialog form. Now I have searched everywhere but I'm unable to find this option to revert to see issue in side bar. Please guide where I can find Lab toggle. I'm desperate to see the resolution field on issue screen. 

[Thomas Schlegel]

https://<your-jira-url>.atlassian.net/secure/ViewPersonalSettings.jspa

[Sadia Aslam]

Thanks for being there. It worked. Resolution field is displaying but as you communicated earlier it's value should be shown as 'Unresolved' by default when it's not set. In my case it's displaying 'None' for already existing and newly added issue in sprint. Please guide how to make it display as unresolved when it's not set. Also I have set the resolution to Done on close transition but it's also displaying resolution value to None.

[Sadia Aslam]

I have set the resolution to Done using post-function.

[Thomas Schlegel]

If you don't set a resolution, the field is showing "Unresolved" - I have just tested this in my cloud testing environment.

Did you create a value "None" for the resolution field by yourself?

[Sadia Aslam]

Nope, I have not set it to 'None'. I just set it to 'Done' for two transitions in my workflow using post-function.

[Thomas Schlegel]

Could you please post a screenshot of your resolutions definitions? You can find them here:

https://<your-url>.atlassian.net/secure/admin/ViewResolutions.jspa

Just to make sure, there's no "None" defined in your configuration. 

[Sadia Aslam]

Thanks for response. Here is the screen shot:

[Thomas Schlegel]

Sadia, we discussed your problem internally, but we don't have a clear solution yet for you. Just more requests and questions, I'm sorry.

• Could it be, that you created a custom field which is called "Resolution"?
• Could you please move the issue NMI-3 to "Done" - post a screenshot of the resolution field and then move it back to "In QA" and post a screenshot again?

Sorry for this, but the more information we get, the more likely it is we'll find the problem.

[Sadia Aslam]

@Thomas Schlegel 

Thanks for providing support. It's OK. I just wanna get rid of this issue. To your questions:

1. yes, when resolution field was not displaying on the screen, I tried to add it as a custom field. 

2. I have moved NMI-3 from 'Code Review' to 'In QA'. Then from 'In QA' to 'Done'. Then from 'Done' to 'To Do'. Here are the screen shots of all the phases:

[Thomas Schlegel]

Then, it's clear. What you see on your view is  not the system field but your own custom field. That's why you see "None" except of Unresolved.

You should delete your own custom resolution field to get back the system field.

[Sadia Aslam]

@Thomas Schlegel 

I have deleted the custom Resolution field and it's got disappeared from the screen as well. But still the system field is not displaying on the issue view screen. How can I make it displayed?

[Jack Brickey]

@Sadia Aslam , helping Thomas out as he is offline now...

Bare with me in case I'm repeating things here.

Now that the custom resolution field is gone I see you are still not seeing the resolution. Two things to check for me:

• if you switch to the old view by going to the detail issue view and clicking on the old view link that should pop up at the top of the page, do you see Resolution under the Status? If so what does it show as the value in the field?
• what is the status of the issue you are looking at now? if not in Done can you move to done as a test? If so when you do this are you prompted for a Resolution? If so then enter an appropriate resolution value, e.g. done. Regardless of being prompted or not please share the screenshot of the issue.

[Sadia Aslam]

@Jack Brickey 

Thanks for being there. To your questions:

1. I can't see Resolution under status, Status field is showing the current status where issue is lying now. 

2. No, I'm not prompted for a Resolution since I have not added any resolution screen. I want to get it done by displaying certain value to Resolution field while performing certain transitions. Here is the screen shot for moving issue from 'In QA' to 'Done'.

[Jack Brickey]

@Sadia Aslam , 

• you have Labs toggled off which is fine but it changes how you address seeing resolution
• you need to go to Board settings > issue detail view and add Resolution to your view. I would place under Status

LMK if that gets you there.

[Sadia Aslam]

@Thomas Schlegel @Jack Brickey 

Finally Resolution field is there with the set values. Thanks for making my life easier. :)

But still there is something to achieve yet. It's requirement to show the issue in dialog view. It's also required to provide buttons for necessary actions and statuses in dialog view which are not displaying in sidebar view. What I want to achieve is displayed in the screen shot below. Please guide how to open an issue in dialog form without effecting Resolution field. 

[Sadia Aslam]

@Thomas Schlegel @Jack Brickey 

Please provide the solution for the above ASAP. I have to meet timelines.

[Thomas Schlegel]

Just click on the issue key in the sidebar dialog - then you will see the full dialog.

[Sadia Aslam]

@Thomas Schlegel 

It's happening some other way. First this UX is lengthy and time taking to move to and fro between issues. Second It redirscts the user to another screen and then he has to come back to board. Like: 

What my company wants me is: as soon as user clicks an issue from board, issue is opened up in a pop up box and user closes it to get back to board. 

[Thomas Schlegel]

I think you can't change this behaviour, I'm sorry

[Jack Brickey]

Correct. Dialog view works in Labs only and with Labs on the Resolution will not display until the issue is complete. The idea here, and I agree, Resolution only applies to completed issues. If you want dialog enable labs.

[Sadia Aslam]

The demo shared with me had both of the features, issue can be view in dialog and Resolution is displaying all the while. Let me share the video after a while. I'm sure there would be some solution.

[Jack Brickey]

thanks @Sadia Aslam . I welcome the learning opportunity. TBH, I have never spent much time on the resolution field except for ensuring it is set properly when closing an issue. I just have never seen any value in displaying "Unresolved" on a screen when it was obvious. For most fields Jira does not display a field if it is empty, and "unresolved" equates to empty, but for Resolution historically they have displayed it. In the new view however it will not display until the issue is closed and resolution is set, which I prefer.

[Sadia Aslam]

@Thomas Schlegel  @Jack Brickey 

I have put the Labs feature on. As expected it should make the issue view in dialog form and Resolution will be no more visible. But when I click the issue number, issue should be viewed in new tab and resolution field should be displayed as shown in the following link: https://www.loom.com/share/80e00eb5afdf4ff0821cc4ba73d0decd

In my case, Resolution field is not displaying on the issue screen opened in a new tab as well after switching the Labs feature on. Please guide how to display it.

[Jack Brickey]

@Sadia Aslam , in Labs mode you will only see the resolution when it is in the final Done (right most) column. In which case the resolution will be right next to the status as below depicts.

when the issue is not done you will see this...

[Sadia Aslam]

@Jack Brickey 

Resolution field was displaying on the screen in the image. After switching to labs mode, it got disappeared. All the clickables of the screen and transitions were displaying as buttons on the top of the  screen. After switching to Labs mode all the buttons are also vanished. Even I created new tickets but in vain.

See in image below how it was looking like before moving to Labs mode.

Even view workflow link has got missed.  

[Sadia Aslam]

Displaying issue in dialog + Resolution field together has become messy for me. 

[Sadia Aslam]

@Jack Brickey  @Thomas Schlegel 

Gentlemen! I have just received the video displaying the requirement clearly i.e. issue can be viewed in dialog form and clicking on issue number resolution field can be displayed during all the phases of the workflow. Here is the video link: https://www.loom.com/share/1505d2bb67134d2bb42ea35c84084d3b

I have shown how it's happening in jira what I described earlier. Now please you people guide me how can I achieve this. 

[Thomas Schlegel]

I can't guide you, because I've never seen anything like this. You could give feedback to Atlassian via the "Give Feedback" - Button, but I don't know, how I should help you further. What you want to achieve is (in my opinion and as far as I know) not possible.

I think @Jack Brickey  and I we tried to guide and explain here as much as we can. I'm sorry.

[Jack Brickey]

@Sadia Aslam ,

thank your for the video. What I am seeing is that you have Jira Labs on which is clear because when you click on the done issue at the end of the video then the resolution is showing beside the status. You have configured to use Dialog view instead of the sidebar detailed view. So all that is consistent with my expectations. The one other thing that you have shown is when you click on the actual issuekey in the card then it is opening a new tab and it is displaying the "old view". I suspect you are causing the issue to open in the new tab by using the keyboard, e.g. on Mac CMD-click will do this. Finally, this view is opening on the "old issue view" vs. the "new issue view". This is important because in the old view the resolution will always be displayed. In the new issue view AND the dialog issue view the Resolution will not be displayed until the issue is DONE. However, I would debate that if there is not resolution (i.e. it is unresolved) the not displaying makes sense and is the same as displaying 'resolution = unresolved'.

I hope this brings this discussion to a close as I'm unsure what else I can add/explain at this point.