how do I set a default value for a field? eg "Due Date"

[Jeff Behl]

We'd like to set the default value for Due Date (if not specified) to one that's one week from the day it was entered. What's the best way to accomplish this? I've seen discussion of using javascript in the description field:

http://forums.atlassian.com/thread.jspa?messageID=257298443

Is this the best way to accomplish it? The above link is 5 years old...

We're running Jira 4.4. Thanks!

[Wojciech Seliga · Accepted solution]

if you would like this value to be auto-inserted before you even submit the new issue (i.e. on issue creation screen) than I think that playing with javascript hacking will be the way to go (although the most fragile - as JIRA UI rapidly changes).

If you are happy with due date set immediately after the issue is created I would write a simpe post workflow action and attach it to the initial (create) transition of the workflow. You have to make sure that the place for such post workflow action is correct (ideally just after "Creates the issue originally." built-in Post Function. As it's executed on the server side you can do various stuff there easily (like set this date depending on various circumstances - issue type, SLA, priority, etc.) and that will be less fragile as server-side API changes slower than UI.

JIRA Behaviours Plugin also may help you - although I haven't seen there the exact functionality you want, it's easy extensible with Groovy scripts (no compilation required).

[childnode]

yes, you might still do this and I'm doing this still in Jira 6. e.g. for the description field, you might use AJS code like this for your field description:

<a href="#" onclick="AJS.$('#description')[0].value='FIELD DEFAULT TEXT'; return false;"><b>click here to set default text</b></a><br/>

you might also change your JIRA Template if you're firm with customizing your env:
https://confluence.atlassian.com/x/kQTlCQ