How to update Jira “Resolution” field values
Tempo Team
A big part of project management is knowing an issue’s position within its lifecycle. Are team members working on it? Is task completion delayed for some reason?
That’s why Atlassian’s Jira platform lets you assign a status to each issue to monitor progress and quickly address roadblocks. But once assignees resolve an issue, you no longer have to worry about it, right?
Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. You can label an issue “Resolved” for many reasons, and it’s essential to document those circumstances for review. Thankfully, many Jira “Resolution” field values are available to clarify and address why your team has closed a particular issue.
What is the “Resolution” field?
In Jira software, the “Resolution” field specifies why an issue is closed. Users often leverage the field as part of a search or to create filters using JQL. For example, if you need to address outstanding tasks, you can program a filter to display all issues marked as “Unresolved” on your dashboard, saving you from sorting through the entire project portfolio.
Configuring task resolutions in Jira is essential to a properly functioning tech stack, as reporting gadgets and other add-ons generally rely on the field’s contents to function correctly. In addition, once the “Resolution” field is assigned a value, Jira assumes the issue has reached the end of its lifecycle. Any reference to that task will show the key in strikethrough text.
Resolution statuses
Because you can resolve an issue in many ways, Jira Cloud platforms offer several default statuses you can use:
Done: Work on this ticket is complete.
Won’t do: The team won’t act on this issue.
Duplicate: The task is a duplicate of an existing issue.
Cannot reproduce: Attempts to reproduce the issue have failed, or there’s insufficient documentation available. The team will reopen the issue if more information comes to light.
Jira Service Management (JSM) has additional “Resolution” field values:
Known error: The team has documented the root cause of the ticket.
Hardware failure
Software failure
You can also create custom resolution statuses to suit the needs of your organization or individual project.
Solutions for Jira “Resolution” field values setting
You must configure the “Resolution” field within the Jira workflow for the platform to function correctly. If you forget or do so incorrectly, the field will retain its default value, ”Unresolved,” when you transition your task to “Done” status. Technically, “Unresolved” isn’t a real value; the field remains empty. Jira only uses the status to inform users that a task is incomplete.
There are two ways to configure the “Resolution” field. The first is automatically updating the field value from “Unresolved” to “Resolved” or another value of your choice, representing the end of that issue’s lifecycle. The other option is allowing the user to populate that field manually using a drop-down menu.
Remember: You must secure Jira administrator privileges before attempting to modify “Resolution” field updates.
Automatic “Resolution” field updates
Setting up the Jira “Resolution” field to automatically update requires configuring a project’s workflow post-function.
Click the View Workflow option from your Jira dashboard. Then, select which Jira workflow you wish to modify.
Go to the Jira Administration panel, then select Issues > Workflow.
Choose the workflow you want to modify and enter Edit mode. Then, select which transition will trigger the conversion from Unresolved to Resolved. Usually, the status is named Done or Resolved, but you can also create a custom status.
Once you select the transition, click on the workflow Post Functions.
In the Post Functions window, select the Add post function followed by Update Issue Field.
Choose which resolution you want Jira to automatically assign to the transition based on suitability and workflow context. Next, select Add.
Publish the workflow draft.
Manual “Resolution” field updates
Sometimes, users may require a choice of resolution types, meaning you must configure the “Resolution” field update differently. Users may wish to defer completion until resources become available or the team has decided not to address the issue. For whatever reason, you need Jira to log the decision.
You can create a transition screen that allows team members to select the appropriate resolution option.
Select Settings. Then, navigate to Issues > Screens.
Click on Add screen in the top right corner of your dashboard.
Name the screen to make it easily identifiable.
Choose Select field, opening a drop-down menu labeled Resolutions.
Click Project settings to open your project, then select Workflows from the left sidebar.
Choose your workflow, then click on the ✏️ icon to begin editing.
Click on the transition associated with the Done status and click Edit.
From the Screens section, choose your newly created screen and click Save. Repeat the process with every transition that leads to the Done status.
Publish the workflow draft.
“Resolution” field best practices
Many native Jira functionalities depend on a properly configured “Resolution” field, including:
Marking resolved issues with a strikethrough on boards.
Issue reports like “Created vs. Resolved.”
System filters, such as “Open Issues.”
Follow these “Resolution” field best practices will set your team up for success:
Set meaningful statuses: Using a resolution status set to Unresolved / None can lead to confusion. If you use these statuses, Jira will still populate the “Resolution” field with the Resolved value, meaning you’ll miss them if you filter for that variable.
Jira uses the “Resolution” field globally: When you create a custom status or update, ensure it’s applicable to the entire Jira instance. Otherwise, you’ll need to develop new updates for every project context.
Keep options generic: Another time-saving practice is to avoid specific options. Keep them broadly applicable to all projects and issue types.
Choose a global default option: Set your default “Resolution” field value to a generic option that applies to all projects, not just the one you’re working on.
Troubleshooting “Resolution” field errors
Here are some common problems that indicate your “Resolution” field is configured incorrectly:
An issue in your project board’s “In progress” column has a strikethrough
The “Created vs. Resolved” report is showing unexpected results
An Open Issues filter is returning issues marked “Done”
As a Jira administrator with Browse projects permission, you can perform a couple of JQL queries to verify whether there is a bug:
Closed issues without a resolution
JQL query: statuscategory = Done and resolution is EMPTY
When this query retrieves results, issues have reached the end of their lifecycle, but the “Resolution” field remains empty.
In-progress issues with a resolution
JQL query: statuscategory ! = Done and resolution is not EMPTY
If the query returns an output, issues still within their lifecycle have a value assigned to their “Resolution” fields.
Ideally, neither query will yield an output, meaning you’ve configured the “Resolution” field properly. If not, you need to reconfigure the transitions to function effectively.
Final words
Resolved issues should give you a reason to relax, not create additional stress. When you correctly configure your “Resolution” fields, you bolster your team’s efficiency and productivity.
When Jira workflows and “Resolution” fields are optimized, your tech stack will deliver peak performance from any add-ons, such as Tempo Portfolio Manager. This Jira-enabled project management platform allows you to oversee scheduling using the following:
Workload predictions
Automatic resource leveling and prioritization
Dynamic visualizations
With Portfolio Manager, the project team always knows which task they should address first and when it’s due.
Then, using Custom Charts for Jira, you can update stakeholders with progress reports using customized JQL filters and scripts to identify which issues are open or closed and why. This data is also invaluable during sprint or project retrospectives, helping your team identify roadblocks and improvement opportunities.
“Resolution” field values are another way the Jira platform helps bring success to your project management practice.
