How to use Status and Resolution

[Ole Tranberg]

We have a lot of different workflows in our projects. I am about to clean up in most of them.

I noticed some projects have more than one "green"-status - i.e. a status where resolution field is set to "Done".

Examples from one project are:

- Status = Done  &  Resolution = Done

- Status = Won't Fix  &  Resolution = Done

- Status = Can't Reproduce  &  Resolution = Done

I am considering to change all that to:

- Status = Done  & Resolution = Done

- Status = Done  &  Resolution = Won't Fix

- Status = Done  & Resolution = Can't Reproduce

The intention would be that all issues that are "Done" will have "status = Done", and then using the resolution field to tell how it is done.

But I am not sure which of the two solutions is the "best" or the "right" way of doing this.

Is there a correct way or a best practice for this?

[Joe Pitt · Accepted solution]

I agree with @Jack Brickey about your approach. I've never seen a 'best practice' document about that. Jira can be configured in so many ways it would be hard to pin down a best practice other than the resolution field must be set when an issue is 'done' To me, the 'done' status shows no more work is needed and the resolution field indicates the reason the work is done. 

[Ole Tranberg]

Thank you both of you

[Jack Brickey · Accepted solution]

Your proposed approach is , IMO, the correct approach. 

[Ole Tranberg]

Thank you.

I have tried to find documentation about how best practice is in relation to Status and Resolution. All I have found is technical descriptions about how to use 'resolution' and where to be careful when configuring Jira.

Do you know of any documentation or descriptions about best practices or right use of 'done status' and resolutions?