JIRA - Screens

Jira - Understanding Screens

In Jira, a Screen defines the layout and presentation of fields that appear when an issue is created, viewed, edited, or transitioned through a workflow. Jira administrators manage screens to control what information users see and interact with for different issue operations.

Viewing and Configuring Screens

To view and manage screens (requires Jira Administrator permissions):

1. Navigate to Jira Settings (usually a cog icon).
2. Select ‘Issues’.
3. In the ‘Screens’ section of the sidebar, click on ‘Screens’.

This page lists all available screens in your Jira instance. You’ll typically see the screen name and information about which screen schemes or projects use it.

To customize a screen, click the ‘Configure’ link next to its name. On the configuration page, you can:

• Add Fields: Select from available Jira fields (both system and custom fields) to add them to the screen.
• Remove Fields: Take fields off the screen.
• Order Fields: Drag and drop fields to change their order of appearance.
• Organize with Tabs: Group related fields into different tabs for better organization, especially on screens with many fields.

The screen configuration interface will typically show a list of fields currently on the screen, often organized by tabs (if any). There’s usually a dropdown or search box to add new fields.

Screen Schemes

A Screen Scheme maps issue operations (like Create Issue, Edit Issue, View Issue) to specific screens. This allows you to use different screens for different actions on an issue. For example, you might have more fields on the ‘Create Issue’ screen than on the ‘View Issue’ screen.

To manage Screen Schemes (Jira Admin permissions required):

1. Navigate to Jira Settings > Issues.
2. Click on ‘Screen Schemes’ in the sidebar.

This page lists existing screen schemes. You can create a new screen scheme by clicking ‘Add Screen Scheme’. When creating or configuring a screen scheme, you associate specific screens with different issue operations (e.g., Default, Create, Edit, View).

When adding a new screen scheme, you’ll need to provide a name, an optional description, and select a default screen that will be used for any issue operation not explicitly mapped to another screen.

Issue Type Screen Schemes

An Issue Type Screen Scheme associates screen schemes with different issue types within a specific project. This is how Jira determines which set of screens to use for a ‘Bug’ versus a ‘Task’ or a ‘Story’ in a given project.

To associate an Issue Type Screen Scheme with a project, you typically go to Project Settings > Screens.

Best Practices for Screens

• Keep it Minimal: Only include fields that are necessary for the operation and issue type. Too many fields can overwhelm users.
• Logical Grouping: Use tabs to organize fields logically on complex screens.
• Context Matters: Design screens based on who will be using them and what information they need at that specific point (creating, editing, viewing).
• Regular Review: Periodically review screen configurations to ensure they still meet business needs and haven’t become cluttered.

Practical Application

Properly configured screens and schemes ensure:

• Users are prompted for the right information when creating issues.
• Issue views are clean and show relevant data.
• Different issue types (e.g., ‘Bug’ vs. ‘New Feature Request’) can have tailored field sets, improving data quality and user experience.