JIRA. Not friendly interface. Why is "Save changes to filter" link on Summary tab not on Edit tab? This is uncomfortable and confusing

Sergey Semin January 27, 2013

I have edited my own filter and was not able to save it.

After some attempts i have found "save" link on another tab Summary. So uncomfortable...

Just a rhetorical question:

WHY so stupid interface?

18 answers

3 votes
JamieA
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January 27, 2013

There is something whacky about the UI around searches to be honest. If I open one of my filters, then make a simple change such as change the project clause. I want to save it but I only see the Save As button. Then I run the filter, and it changes to a Save button. This is a bit weird, that the behaviour should change just because I've executed the query.

Rakesh V September 11, 2014

@ James: I agree with you and I have seen this weird problem!! Its frustrating and challenging to explain this limitation to the users of JIRA. Its probably doing a search in the background and executing some AJAX call. They have probably added some handling which would change that 'Save As' to 'Save' on their success call which I believe is wrong.

JamieA
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September 14, 2014

I get the mechanics of it, and that they probably want to validate the query before giving you a chance to save, but the job of their UI designers is to hide all that from the users and just make it work like magic.

2 votes
C_ Faysal
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January 27, 2013

hey sergey.

you could raise an improvement request on JAC

according to thomas comment....no need to be unkind....asking questions this way is not that smart if you're requesting help. think about it :)

Sergey Semin January 27, 2013

Hey, it's just a cry, just a rhetorical... Not a request for help.

1 vote
Sergey Semin February 2, 2013

In any way this obvious scenario doesn't need any documentation. According to the common sense the save link should be present as it present in create new filter scenario.

Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
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February 2, 2013

According to common sense, the save button should be hidden when it's invalid. Sorry, but you aren't thinking this through.

Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
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February 3, 2013

By the way, if you genuinely think this is a good improvement, rather than rail against what you see as a flaw, try raising it with Atlassian as an improvement.

I'd expect it to be closed as won't fix, because there's nothing wrong with the current behaviour other than you not liking it (plus the oddness Jamie mentions, which I've noticed properly since he mentioned it), but there's no harm asking. It's quite likely that you'll get a good explanation of why it's been done this way as well.

Sergey Semin February 3, 2013

Nic, as a "good Answers citizen" I've answered my question and accepted it. As I understand this is a sign that discussion doesn't need to be continued. I've stopped with it and will not continue. Just FYI.

0 votes
John O'Brien March 7, 2017

OK, now I get it! In order to active the "Save" function when editing a filter i.e. change the "Save As" button to an active "Save" button, you must first rerun the filter by clicking on the magnifying glass to the far right of the field containing the JQL-Query. By clicking on one of the columns in the result,  the results are sorted but only after executing the query again i.e. achieves the same thing.

I assume this is what the first poster meant when he refereed to the "Summary tab".

A tool tip appears when you hover over the "Save as" button and informs you of the need to refresh the result. Maybe this is in the manual - who knows, nevertheless this is not exactly what I would call "intuitive" UI.

0 votes
John O'Brien March 7, 2017

I couldn't be bothered to read all the ping-ponging of comments to this question, so I'll cut to the chase. I had the exact same problem as the original poster - if I change an existing filter that I created only "Save As" is offered to me, although I want to "Save". After spending many frustrating minutes trying to figure out why that is so, I accidentally clicked on one of the columns in the filter results and bingo - the "Save As" mutated to "Save".

The quetion, at least my question is why do I have to sort my results in order for JIRA to realise that I want to "save" a change to the very same existing filter, not "Save As" to a new one?
I hope I have not insulted anyone by this post - if so it was purely unintentional.

 

0 votes
seancarrroll NA January 18, 2015

I agree - the UX is terrible

0 votes
Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
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January 27, 2013

I repeat as well - where is it not complete? I can't see anything in the edits that is not in the documentation.

Unless you are looking at a totally different version of Jira.

0 votes
Sergey Semin January 27, 2013

Just FYI, repeating again. Doc is not complete.

No mention about the edit of the filter.

The use case is so obvious that doesn't require any help or documentation. Why they added 'save' for new filter and didn't for edit existing filter?

Rhetorical...

0 votes
Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
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January 27, 2013

There's no point adding a screenshot from my system - you can simply look at the documentation.

What is saveable? A valid filter that you've changed. But I have noticed this seems a bit screwy in testing 5.2 here - it seems to lose the ability with some changes, especially in advanced mode.

0 votes
Sergey Semin January 27, 2013

When editing my own filters, I get the save option in both simple and advanced mode, once I've actually defined something saveable.

Can you add a screenshot with it?

once I've actually defined something saveable.

Oh, yes. Clever trick! What is really saveable and what is not? Is it described in help? Don't answer. Just a rhetorical.

0 votes
Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
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January 27, 2013

>OMG! Why should i read it if i just need one button "save" near "new search"?

The docs are there to help you find your way through. A lot of people don't need them because they can find it by looking, but the docs are there. You struggled with finding save, so you may have benefited from them. I've looked after many thousands of users and never had anyone struggle with finding it before. I (and my users) have struggled with other bits, and when we do, we look at the docs.

>When i am editing my own filter why can i change it on the same page and can't save it on the same page? Really weird.

Er, you can. I don't even know what you're looking at now.

>I may answer that it is incorrect.

>See therel https://confluence.atlassian.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=267257855

No. That is correct.

The only thing I can think of is that you are using a different version of Jira. Are you sure you are using 4.4 (for which this document is correct)?

>But in fact i don't see this link when i am editing my filter in simple search mode. What can you tell about that?

Nothing, I don't know what you're looking at. When editing my own filters, I get the save option in both simple and advanced mode, once I've actually defined something saveable.

0 votes
Sergey Semin January 27, 2013

OMG! Why should i read it if i just need one button "save" near "new search"?

When i am editing my own filter why can i change it on the same page and can't save it on the same page? Really weird.

OK, OK. All necessary things are on their places. OK, please skip to other question!

0 votes
Sergey Semin January 27, 2013

OK. You told about the documentation.

I may answer that it is incomplete.

See there about save new search: https://confluence.atlassian.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=267257855

The screenshot on the help displays the thing i am talking about. It is "save" link.

But in fact i don't see this link when i am editing my filter in simple search mode.

What can you tell about that?

0 votes
Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
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January 27, 2013

It sounds like you haven't read the documentation - it's quite clear in there that if you look at someone else's filter, you can't edit it because it doesn't beloing to you. That is not put directly on screen though, there's an assumption that you don't want to replicate the entire user documentation in the application.

But the Edit and Save options appear in logical places when you start making modifications. Could you suggest a better way to do it?

0 votes
Sergey Semin January 27, 2013

Hey! Save is not the next! It is back and on the different tab. No idea why. And that is all. Looks like pople did it not for themselves but for so called "spherical horse in the space" ;-).

Hey, everybody! Sorry, if you are insulted. Ignore!

0 votes
Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
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January 27, 2013

How is it "stupid" to have an edit button next to what you're editing?

I do find Jira's interface fussy and overwhelming. Always have. I understand it's because there's a lot of information to be displayed, but that doesn't stop me thinking it could be improved. I think it's difficult to design something so complicated.

Instead of saying something is just "stupid" and insulting and alienating people who like it, care about it or be insulted that you're criticising their work, how about constructively explaining where you think it should be and why it's better? If you can't do that, then I'm afraid it's not Jira that's the stupid one.

0 votes
Sergey Semin January 27, 2013

Hey, something is stupid for sure. Me or JIRA? JIRA, of coarse...

0 votes
Thomas Schlegel
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January 27, 2013

I think, this could be said a little bit more friendly, even if you don't like this part of the user interface, there is no reason to call it (and therefore Atlassian people also) stupid.

Just my opinion.

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