Everything You Need to Know About Jira Workflows | Smartsheet (2024)

1. Open Jira.
   
   
   
2. Click Issues, and then click Workflows.
   
3. To create a new workflow, click the Add workflow button.
4. Type in a name and add a workflow description. The new workflow opens and is ready to edit.

How to Configure a New or Existing Workflow

You can add states and transitions to new or existing workflows. Keep in mind that some restrictions are placed on the editing of active workflows. You edit Jira workflows in the Workflow Designer, using either the Diagram or Text view.

DIAGRAM TEXT BUTTON IMAGE

Use the diagram format for an overview of your workflow as you build it. The text version expedites adding labels and descriptions to steps and transitions. For the purposes of this tutorial, we’ll work in the Diagram view. For more information on planning and creating a new workflow, see The Essential Guide to Jira Workflow Best Practices.

1. Click the Add status button to add your first status. Name your new status. Important: You can reuse an existing status found in active workflows, but any changes you make to it will affect other workflows. Click Add.
   INSERT WORKFLOWS NEWFLOW IMAGE

2. Repeat the previous step to add the next step in the workflow. You can create all the steps at once and then add the transitions, or you can add transitions as you create each step. You can click and drag the step boxes to arrange them in a pattern that shows the logic of the workflow. Keep in mind that you should publish the finished diagram to your team so they can understand the workflow.

3. To add a transition, click Add transition.

4. Specify where you want the transition to go. Name it and click Add.

5. When using a workflow, you may want to return a work item to a previous status. To do this, you must add an extra transition between steps. After you add all the statuses and transitions forward and back (where appropriate), your workflow should look something like this:
   INSERT JIRA WORKFLOW IMAGE

   Your new workflow appears on the Workflows page at the bottom in the Inactive list.

Delete a Step

You can delete a step only if it has no transitions.

• Click the Delete Step link.

Add a Transition Screen

If you need user input during a transition, you can display a screen on transition. Jira calls this a View screen.

1. In your workflow, click the Edit button.
   
2. In the Diagram, select the transition you want to change. Click the Edit button.
   
3. Select a screen from the Screen box. Default Screen and Resolve Issue Screens show the complete form for the issue with all available fields. The Workflow Screen allows you to assign the work item to a user and add a comment. Click the Save button.
   
4. Click Update.

Add a Trigger

1. In your workflow, select the transition where you want to add a trigger. Click Edit.

2. In the Workflow Editor, select the transition again. In the properties panel, click Triggers.

3. Click Add Trigger.

   

4. Select the trigger type, and then click Next.

   See Also

   5 Phases of GTD Workflow

Add Conditions

1. In your workflow, select the transition to which you want to add a condition.

   

2. In the properties panel, click Conditions.

   

3. Click Add Condition.

   

4. Select the condition you want from the list.

   

5. Click Add.

Add a Validator

1. In your workflow, select the transition to which you want to add a validator.

2. In the properties panel, click Validators.

3. Click Add validator.

4. Select the validator and click Add.

   

Customize and Apply a Post Function

1. In your workflow, select the transition you want to edit.

2. Click Post Functions. Click Add Post Function.

   

3. Select the function you want. Click Add.

4. On the Add Parameters page, specify any new settings. Click Add.

   

5. Click Add.