Where can i create issue templates in Jira?

[Smita]

I would like to streamline the information entered in Jira when the users create issue/task/goals.

How do I make sure they get to enter the description field based on pre populated text?

[Andy Heinzer · Accepted solution]

Hi everyone,

This feels like a fairly common ask for Jira. I understand that some users would like to create new issues within Jira that follow some kind of pre-populated data in order to streamline the ticket creation process.

Some users are seeking to be able to set a default value for system fields like Description, but on a per project basis. This alone might meet the ask of issue templates for some users but not others. If you’re using Jira Cloud next-gen projects, this feature exists already within next-gen projects. Customize an issue's fields in next-gen projects has more details on exactly how you can do this today.

As for non-next-gen projects, setting default values to system fields is still something we are tracking feature requests for in JRASERVER-4812 for Jira Server and JRACLOUD-4812 for Jira Cloud. I recommend that if this is a feature you want to see in Jira natively, please vote on the respective issue here to help our development team prioritize new features. You can also watch those issues to get updates to them. At the time of writing this update, the Server team has moved this issue to in progress as it appears this is actively being worked on.

In the meantime, there are a number of third party solutions that already exist for this that can be found in our Marketplace.

Andy

[Robert-Alexandru Oros]

:) one year later and you still have not implemented it?  Can you please tell me why somebody needs to pay extra for plugins to do something possible in the JIRA server and is it possible on team-managed projects but not company ones?

Unbelievable 

[mnovaes]

More like… 20 years.

[sguerrieri]

Still a very much needed feature for company-managed projects!

[Kate Pawlak [Appsvio]]

Hi there,

As the Atlassian Forge platform allows more and more possibilities for developers, we created our solution called Issue Templates Agent for Jira. It allows you to create templates and use them on the native Create issue screen. We support more and more system and custom fields. Also, our roadmap is full of ideas, so I recommend you try it, especially that it's completely free.

Best regards,

Kate

[Nar Kumar C_ - Narva Software]

Hi everyone,

There are many apps named 'Issue Template' in Marketplace which are a bit different and not really issue description template. So searching in the Marketplace is a bit confusing because of the term having multiple meanings.

However, new breed of apps enable description template. One of them is developed by us:

Issue Templates Pro for Jira - Summary & Description Templates

Please try it out. Hopefully it fulfills your need.

Also, follow this feature request here: JRACLOUD-4812

Regards,

Nar

[Zeno]

@Kate Pawlak [Appsvio] It's not free though is it? 

[Kate Pawlak [Appsvio]]

No, we changed the payment model, so it's paid as other such apps on the Marketplace.

[Mark]

Seems a bit steep that pricing considering you can set up something very similar with automation for free!

[Benjamin Mericli]

Having the ability to save and reuse issue templates would be a wonderful and simple addition to JIRA, so that issue-reporters would not have to waste time and brainpower on extraneous questions every time they write a ticket: e.g., what H-level should headings that appear in every ticket be formatted with, and what sort of bullet styling should be used for conditions of satisfaction. This would also be helpful for onboarding, in teams with lots of turnover.

These are all actual decisions that humans need to make. Making them at all is a distraction and waste of time. Making them the wrong way can result in both technical and social inefficiencies. Templates would eliminate these inefficiencies.

[Yulia Zhyliaieva]

I use Automation, and create a rule for pre-populating for certain issues 

[George nacouzi]

Is Automation available for next gen projects? if yes how do i enable it? 
thanks 

[Yulia Zhyliaieva]

Project settings -> Apps -> Project Automation

[Leo Mehr]

This is perfect! Automation can create subtasks in a templated fashion -- exactly what I needed.

[Jack Daniel Morilla]

@Yulia Zhyliaieva how did you create your pre-populated in Jira automation? I'm having a hard time on how to create :(

[Earl Willis]

This seems to be the best 'Out of the box' Solution.

You can even automate subtasks to be added to the template, and pre-populate fields that are on the 'View' Screen, that the user does not have to see on the 'Create' screen.

The 'Summary' is a jira system field and is set Required by default. You cannot make it optional. The problem here is that you can not pre-populate it on the 'Create' screen. However, there is a free-plug in called 'Default Values for 'Create Issue' screen' that allows you to do that for Issue Types to create a Template name in the 'Summary Field'

[Zeno]

this is only viable if you create a small amount of tickets a month.

go above the small automation quota and it'll stop working.

[Pavel Pavlovsky_AppLiger_]

Hi @Smita

You may benefit from Easy Templates for Jira add-on. It allows you to create a Template per issue type like Story, Task, Bug containing subtasks.

Once you create an issue from the Template - subtasks will be automatically populated.

Cheers,

Pavel

[florent_tainturier]

Hi @Pavel Pavlovsky_AppLiger_ , with this add-on, is the template available for all users ? Is it possible to configure some template for some users roles ?
Best regards

[Pavel Pavlovsky_AppLiger_]

Hi,

Saved templates are available for all users who have an access to projects where the templates might be used. At this moment, there's no possibility to define access per user role.

I've added this as feature request and started gathering users votes/opinions.

Thanks,

Pavel

[Olivier Ragain]

Having to rely on automation to have templates feels broken to me.

I find that many here talk about issues, and I would agree that having templates for issues to prepopulate information such as what you expect to see in the description is a good thing.

But, there are also other categories of requests users can make of a service desk. ITIL calls them Standard Requests. For instance you are onboarding an employee. You need HR to create accounts, IT to create accounts, Provision a computer, etc... All these tasks and steps are required for each onboarding. Same for offboarding. Not having templates means people have to remember what tasks they have to do... or refer to a job aid or other documentation...

With templates not being available, I will be looking at another tool to handle our service desk.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Usually, a desire for "templates" in Jira means you've got a set of fields you don't actually need.

Which is why there's no templating system built in.

And you absolutely do not want "pre populated text" in text fields - you can guarantee you will end up with piles of issues with just that text in there and nothing of any use.

But, if you insist, then have a look in the marketplace - there are Apps to do Jira templates.

[Smita]

Thank you Nic for the details. 

I agree to your point that if I pre populate text/label people may not fill up the details while creating the ticket.

However the problem I am facing is, even without that I have n number of tickets created by team without any useful information in it. This is something I would like to avoid.

Ex: If I need everyone to log a ticket for vacations they are taking, I would like it in a predefined format. Similarly the use stories or bugs could be logged in a specific format, like steps to reproduce, link where the feature is broken etc

How do you suggest I tackle these?

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Set up different issue types with the fields you need to capture, and leave off fields you don't need for each type.  That obviates the need for templates, as you're only asking for stuff you need.

[Owl DiBlassio]

What about a repeatable task that contains a checklist of steps required to complete the task? 
The template would have the checklist already created...?

Thanks!

[Matthew Oehler]

I'd disagree with this.  I'm teaching a new team about story and bug writing.  Having templates in place would allow them to focus on writing the story the correct way.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Templates mostly create data that people don't need to see. 

My current queue of tasks has a couple of hundred entries.  Do I want to see 197 being exactly the same barring the information I really need to see?  Why not just design the requests so I can assume the 197 are the same and the 3 where I need to think have something that tells me I need to read the additional stuff on them?

(Initially, yes, the detail on the 197 is great - it enables me to see I can automate stuff and then really really simplify my incoming requests so that I don't need a template)

On-screen guidance - oh yes, and I think Jira fails us on this.  Templates just scream "automate it, simplify and stop repeating the same extraneous junk"

[hagenp]

In our company we have several teams. But >95% of the time when I create an issue, I want to use 'my' team for it. Let alone sub-taks.

So it would be good if this could be pre-filled. A team-specific default would be good, then I only need to change it if it's really an issue for another team.

-> (How) Is that possible?

I searched for 'issue template' and landed here. I agree that any pre-fill mechanism can often lead to a lot of useless junk. On the other hand it's annoying to always go through the same click-sequence when creating a new issue. DRY.

[Paul Rowlands]

I want a template for a Change Request ticket, where there are repeatable set pieces of information required.

[Jens Schöbel]

I see the need of a template as well. In our company it is simply writing a user story. Lot's of people see the benefit of having a template that helps you streamline the process.

So apart from the upper mentioned plugin. Is there an easy solution in Jira?

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

No, though you could explore a templating app 

[Michael Trouw]

The fact that Jira decides for others that they can't use templates, as a SaaS, in 2020, is complete BS. The whole idea that preventing this is justified because some teams and some way of using templates always leads to useless junk is a gross exaggeration.

Issue templates allow people to properly think about things they need to think about when creating some issue, without the need to come up with all the things they need to think about, ALL THE TIME.
if this leads to junk, a template is junk and needs to be revised. it's not a templating system itself that is junk.
The only thing that is junk in all of this, is top-down thinking and disallowing behaviours that apparently (seeing all the requests all the time, and plugins / extensions that offer this) users need and want.

Not new here. been using Jira cloud and hosted for the last 5 years in different companies and this issue pops up everywhere, always. it's a huge footgun to not have templates that everyone lives by

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

It's not "Jira decides", it is that Atlassian have chosen not to implement it natively.  There is a significant difference between "you can't" and "we choose not to do it ourselves"

I am biased on the subject. 

I've wasted vast amounts of client time and money cleaning up the junk templates usually leave behind.   You are absolutely right in that it's not the templating system that is the problem, it's the poorly designed templates themselves, but after 16 years of seeing it in Jira and other systems, it's pretty clear that the only template that is well designed is "no template, and we automate the things we are tempted to add to it".

[Michael Trouw]

Okay you are right in highlighting this distinction and at least there are extensions / plugins that try to tackle this.

> it's the poorly designed templates themselves

yes, or processes that suck, or people that follow processes because they have to, and not because they understand and value their existence.

> junk templates left over

To me, means either of the following is the case:
- no one cared to properly fill them out because they don't see value in properly prepared work (or this is done outside of JIRA and then it's the process that sucks)
- there is some insane pressure preventing anyone from preparing work properly.
- JIRA minions are not trusted to delete things (I'm also very much against this dictator approach to issue management, if you don't trust employees with delete capabilities, then also glue their office chair to the ground because you have serious trust issues)
- in general, no sense of ownership of a board, or project, or specific issues
- etc. etc. tons of external reasons to a templating system in and of itself.

And then my final word on this matter would be:
by choosing not to natively implement this, JIRA ís effectively siding with the "you're idiots and need to be protected from yourselves" team, specifically because it is a well-decided choice.
Which I find a bad choice seeing that a simple integrated templating system could solve so many problems and add so much value to those who are able to use it.

[Jamie Matthews]

@Nic Brough -Adaptavist- Templates are great for teams starting out and learning to write Jira in a more descriptive way. Unfortunately, it's not one size fits all, so each team would need to figure out what works for them and their workflow. Sometimes, templates remain as a reminder to fill out as much as possible, and that's ok.

Many of times have tickets come over with the bare basics of information. Whilst I might understand what it means, my colleague may not. Ideally, you should write a ticket in a way that makes sense to even the lowest technical understanding. That way, if you were to be off, they should be able to see everything within the ticket and not worry about chasing someone up for more information to get started.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

A desire for templates in issues just screams "you've made your system too complicated"

[Jamie Matthews]

or "we don't have all the relevant fields and information we need"

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Indeed - but a template doesn't solve that problem.

[Jamie Matthews]

Doesn't solve the problem but certainly a good step forward to understanding it.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Eh?  How?

[Ole Ivanoff]

Hi @Nic Brough -Adaptavist- 

I don't understand this? 
A desire for templates in issues just screams "you've made your system too complicated"

In our case, we have 9 country managers. When do an update on App Store for one of our 40+ games, they all need to be assigned to a subtask for that particular game:
Task -> Update screenshots for X game
SubTask for French, Italian, German, US, etc.
Each with a different assignee.

A template would save me a lot of time, with subtasks assigned to the right people?

[Andrew Moyse]

Atlassian can't control whether customers have systems that are "too complicated" and customers shouldn't be expected to have to re-architect their systems to use your product in a way they want.

I think it's helpful to think of this issue as a customer feature request. There is a customer segment of JIRA that wants issue templates to be a 1st class, built-in feature. If Atlassian chooses to actively not work on the feature due to the reasons posted by @Nic Brough -Adaptavist- then they'll just lose a portion of that customer market segment.

It's usually beneficial to a business if you meet the customer where they are as opposed to making them come to you as it lowers the amount of friction in the customer experience.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

If you're entering known data, automate it, there's no need to template anything.

Templates for form based data just let your users ignore the questions you want answered.  If you genuinely can let them ignore a question, why are you bothering to ask?

[Michael Trouw]

@Nic Brough -Adaptavist- 
why / who / when is talking about known data? and form based data?

As per the OP's last line:

How do I make sure they get to enter the description field based on pre populated text?

Pre populated text could mean as much as a few lines in a description field:

- background
- acceptance criteria
- questions & answers
- etc. etc.

All open questions, all not known data, all not form based data.
Where does this assumption come from?

When using Jira for software development, having only a description field for making an entire user story or journey clear, is just absolutely not enough.

Currently we populate this field by using a third party templating plugin that does not really work well, and most that I've tried did not work in an ideal way (probably because JIRA decided to not offer any official support)

[julien]

adding to the discussion. We'd like to pre-populate tickets with descriptions, in the same popular way of github issue templates (and others). I don't think it's much to ask.

(on an other level, reading a "community leader" answering that way to customers is quite hard to see.)

[James Bass]

How is anything that's available in Team Managed NOT allowed in Company Managed?  I am calling shenanigans.

Because of the extreme limitations in a Team Managed project I ended up having to migrate the entire project to Company Managed.  Took me the better part of 2 days.  And now, I'm hearing they want to go back because they can't use templates anymore.

And I'm reading that this is a CHOICE of Atlassian?

Help me out here.

[John Stewart]

I think we're missing part of the point.

Bad templates create junk, and inefficiencies. It's easy to use them and other functionality to automate our own stupidity.

It's also true that good templates allow for efficient mass customization, and introduce quality control, the latter vis-à-vis checklists. I want to make sure that I check all 9 things every time I get a bug, but I also want to make sure that everyone else that receives bugs checks those 9 things. Process improvement is more about how you use your tools and less about which tools you use.

If Atlassian chose not to introduce native template functionality, ok, but if they chose not to do it because it only introduces junk, then they're avoiding it for the wrong reason.

And buying even a simple an add-on as a stopgap is a long process in medium- to large-sized companies. I'd like to have this as part of Jira's OOTB functionality.

[Jack Daniel Morilla]

Any updates on the JIra Template for JIRA Cloud?

[Morty]

The ticket covering this probably has it's driver's license (depending on the state): https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRASERVER-4812

[Ralf Gautschi]

I am also missing issue templates. It's something I have previously been using when working with Azure DevOps, and in most cases it actually worked really fine and did not lead to problems.

One use case was that of bug templates. So based on the universal bug type, we were creating e.g. a security bug template which was pre-populating a few fields that were properly identifying the issue as a security bug. Or when running a larger bug bash, we created a bug template that would always add a certain label to the item, that way we were able to see which bugs had been created during the bug bash.

Currently, my need is to structure the creating of stories/epics/initiatives more and having a templating mechanism would be really helpful. 

[Aleksandra Bosacka _Deviniti_]

Hello @Ralf Gautschi

It's Aleksandra from Deviniti, the vendor of the Issue Templates for Jira app.

If you're looking for templates functionality that would allow you to populate fields values automatically from template, I encourage you to give our app a try. In short, the app not only allows to copy over various fields' values from template, but also create more complex structures with just few clicks that may include Epics, Stories, Tasks with Sub-tasks, and any additional issue links.

The app is currently available for all hosting options including Jira Server/DC and Cloud. Hopefully, you will find it useful!

Cheers,
Aleksandra