Cannot export custom field

Brick Mantooth September 6, 2012

Why would Jira not support this? Does anybody know how I can include a custom field in my issues list so it exports? I can see the field when I configure the columns? Why would Jira allow me to add it as a field to configure if it won't export.

5 answers

1 accepted

4 votes
Answer accepted
Damon Gaylor June 27, 2013

You problem is probably due to the field not being available for all issues types in your filter results. If a field is not available for all issue types in the results, then it gets hidden. Try to change your filter to only include a specific issue type that has the field first. If it works, there is your answer. (add the custom fields to the other issue types.

1 vote
Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
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September 6, 2012

Which "export" are you using?

If it's the Excel one, then it's down to the custom field, and your configuration. First, is the custom field displayed when you run the filter? Even if it's an empty column? If not, then it won't be exported. Secondly, when the Excel export is run, Jira looks at the fields for a reference saying "use this .vm file to generate the data for this field in excel". If the author of the custom field has not provided that reference (and the file), then it can't generate anything for the field and has to drop it.

What custom field is it? (The type, I mean - text, number, date, something else?)

Brick Mantooth September 6, 2012

I'm talking about both excel exports and the word export. When I run the query in Issue Navigator, I do not see my custom field, but if I go to Tools-->Configure Columns, it is there. I can m ove the field to the right or left or remove it all together. But when I go back to the Issue Navigator, I don't see it. The column is not empty. The custom field is a text field <255 characters).

I'm not sure what you mean about " If the author of the custom field has not provided that reference (and the file),"

Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
September 6, 2012

>When I run the query in Issue Navigator, I do not see my custom field

Well, that probably answers it. If it's not coming out on the navigator, it's not going to come out in excel. This usually happens when you run a filter that includes issues for which your field is not valid. For example, if project ABC has a field called "Mr Flibble", which is only valid for that project, then you run a filter for "issues in Project ABC and XYZ", Jira won't display "Mr Flibble" because it's not valid for project XYZ.

Check your field configuration and field contexts, along with the filter you are running.

>I'm not sure what you mean about " If the author of the custom field has not provided that reference (and the file),"

Jira looks at the fields for a reference saying "use this .vm file to generate the data for this field in excel". If that is missing, it can't generate the output. The reference is done in the code for the field.

Brick Mantooth September 6, 2012

I totally figured it out. I noticed on the configure columns screen this note: Note: Not all the fields below are shown in Issue Navigator for each issue (eg custom fields which are only per-project and/or per-issue type).

So i changed my custom field to be a global one that would apply to all issue types and was solid gold.


Nic Brough -Adaptavist-
Community Leader
Community Leader
Community Leaders are connectors, ambassadors, and mentors. On the online community, they serve as thought leaders, product experts, and moderators.
September 6, 2012

Ah, the field context I said was right then :-)

It's an annoying flaw in Jira. I understand the logic behind it, but it's wrong as far as the end user is concerned, and although I appreciate Atlassian adding a warning about it, it's still not fixed properly.

0 votes
Steve Revill February 10, 2021

I have this issue (on Jira Cloud) - I can see the custom fields in my filter, along with their values, but I'm not seeing the values (for all of them) in the Excel export.

The screenshot below illustrates the issue - with the filter output in Jira showing on the right, click the Excel export button, open in Excel and on the left is what I get...

export.png

0 votes
Michael Henry September 2, 2013

So with On Demand, I am having the same problem, except I CAN see it on the issue navigator screen. The custom fields are set for all issue types. They are project specific. BUT all of the issues in the filter are the same project and issue type. What else am I missing?

0 votes
Rumit Patel June 27, 2013

Hi,

I have custom fields which I have configured to be used for a specific Issue Type and a specific Project only.

By this, I should be able to see this field as a column in Issue Navigator.

Now, I can see these fields in 'Configure Issue Navigator' and even arrange them as per my need.

However, when I go to the 'Issue Navigator' I see a standard set of columns and not the ones I configured. So I might me missing something here and which could be a possible reason I do not see them on screen and hence cannot export it. Also, I do not see these custom fileds under the 'Filter' criterias on Issue Navigator screen.

P.S: I am trying to view issues under that 'specific project' only so its not that I am trying to view a custom field under a project for which it is not configured. I have reindexed my JIRA many times but no luck.

My goal is to show the custom field on a 'Issue Navigaor' screen and also export it.

Any help is appreciated.

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