Field Defaults & Create Rules for Jira
Field Defaults & Create Rules fills in Jira fields automatically when issues are created. Jira admins define rules; each rule applies to some projects and issue types and sets default values and create-dialog behaviour for fields.
Where it works
| Where the issue is created | What happens |
|---|---|
| Jira's create dialog (the Create button, global issue create) in company-managed and team-managed projects | Defaults appear live in the form as soon as the project and issue type are chosen; Required / Hidden / Read-only settings apply. Changing the issue type swaps in that type's defaults, but never overwrites text you typed. |
| Jira Service Management agents creating issues in the create dialog | Same as above (agent view). |
| Everything else: the Jira mobile apps, email-to-issue, the REST API, Jira Automation, CSV import, the JSM customer portal, inline create on boards and backlogs | If the rule has Also fill empty fields after creation on, fields that are still empty are filled shortly after creation (usually seconds; Jira can take up to 3 minutes to deliver the creation event). Required / Hidden / Read-only cannot apply here. |
The app never overwrites a value someone entered. After creation it only fills fields that are empty.
Set up
- Jira settings (⚙) → Apps → Field Defaults & Create Rules (or Get started / Configure under Manage apps). You need to be a Jira administrator.
- Add rule and give it a name, or, while you have no rules, pick a starter template: Bug report template, Triage defaults (label
needs-triage, due in 5 working days) or Assign to the creator. Templates open in the editor so you can adjust them before saving. - Projects: leave empty for every project (new projects are picked up automatically, within a few minutes and again daily), or pick projects.
- Issue types: leave empty for every issue type, or pick some (for example only Bugs).
- Add a field and set its default value and options. Repeat for more fields.
- Save. Defaults apply to the create dialog straight away (reopen it if it was open).
Supported fields
System fields: Summary, Description, Priority, Labels, Components, Fix versions, Affects versions, Assignee, Reporter, Due date.
Custom fields: Text (single line), Paragraph, Select list (single), Radio buttons, Select list (multiple), Checkboxes, User picker (single and multiple), Date picker.
Not supported (Jira's create-dialog API does not allow them): cascading selects, date-time pickers, number fields, Forge custom fields, Connect custom fields, Teams, Sprint, Parent, and the JSM customer portal form itself (portal requests are filled after creation instead).
Default values
- Text / Description / Paragraph: plain text. In Description and Paragraph fields, lines starting with
#become headings,-or*bullet lists,1.numbered lists; blank lines separate paragraphs. Good for bug-report or story templates. - Priority, select lists, radio buttons, checkboxes: choose from the field's options. If a custom field has several contexts, the context name is shown next to each option.
- Components and versions belong to one project, so a rule that sets them must apply to exactly one project. Jira supports Components and Affects versions in the create dialog of company-managed projects only.
- Labels: separate labels with spaces (Jira labels cannot contain spaces).
- Assignee / Reporter / user pickers: a specific user, the person creating the issue, unassigned, or (Assignee only) Automatic, which uses the project's default assignee.
- Due date / date pickers: the creation date plus N days, optionally counting working days (Monday–Friday) only.
Create-dialog settings (per field)
- Replace a value Jira pre-fills: Jira already puts a value in some fields when the dialog opens (Priority is usually "Medium"). Turn this on to replace it with your default. It is on by default for Priority.
- Required: the issue cannot be created while the field is empty (create dialog only).
- Hidden: the field is not shown (its default is still set).
- Read-only: the field shows its default and cannot be changed in the dialog.
A field cannot be hidden or read-only and required without a default, because nobody could create the issue.
When several rules match
The more specific rule wins for each field: project + issue type, then project only, then issue type only, then every project and type. Among equally specific rules, the one higher in the list wins (use Up / Down). Rules can be turned off without deleting them.
Limits
- 100 rules, 30 fields per rule, 10,000 characters per text default.
- Jira allows a rule to cover at most 1,000 project × issue-type combinations in the create dialog; split very wide rules (only relevant on sites with more than 1,000 projects).
- After-creation filling needs the field to be on the issue's edit screen; fields Jira refuses are skipped and noted in the app's logs. Notifications are not sent for these updates.
Troubleshooting
- Defaults don't appear in the create dialog: check the rule is On, the project/issue type match, and the field is on the project's create screen. Close and reopen the dialog after saving. A banner on the settings page shows any rule Jira rejected.
- Another app also changes the create dialog: if another app changes the same field, Jira reports a conflict and may ignore one of the changes. Remove the overlap from one of the apps.
- A field isn't filled after creating from email or mobile: it has to be empty, on the edit screen, and the rule must have Also fill empty fields after creation on. It can take up to 3 minutes.
- "Licence inactive" banner: the subscription or trial ended; rules are paused, not deleted.
Data and privacy
The app runs entirely on Atlassian's platform (Runs on Atlassian). Rules are stored in Atlassian's Forge storage in your site's data-residency location. No Jira data is sent to IIC Labs or anyone else, and the app has no external network access. Uninstalling the app deletes its rules, so reinstalling starts from an empty list.
Billing
Atlassian bills the app with your Atlassian subscription, per user, with a free trial. Refunds are handled by Atlassian.
Contact
support@iiclabs.com — include your site URL (yoursite.atlassian.net), the rule name and what you expected to happen.