Jira’s form feature creates another way to collect information from users. Jira forms map to a project’s existing issue types, and you can create different kinds of forms for various purposes. For example, create a form to collect feedback, request time off, or order business cards. Then share the form’s URL through Jira, via email, or in a Slack chat room, for example. Simply put, forms provide a simple way to gather information on business Jira projects.

Good to Know

The Jira forms referenced are available in business projects in all Cloud plans. While not covered in this article, similar form functionality is built into Cloud Jira Service Management projects. Form functionality can be added to Data Center projects with an app from the Atlassian Marketplace.

Example Forms

Forms provide a quick way to collect information and create Jira issues. Here’s an easy example. The Project Management team has a simple Jira business project. They want to allow users to make simple requests like appointing a PM for an upcoming initiative or facilitating a retrospective after a product launch.

Using the Jira project’s existing issue types and standard fields, I created these two simple forms. It only took a few minutes, and I didn’t need to change any Jira configuration elements.

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The form feature in business projects reminds me a lot of the issue collector feature. However, the form is meant to be shared with a URL, not embedded in another website like the issue collector.

Expense Reimbursement Example

Now, let’s consider a different use case. Let’s imagine your HR department already has a company-managed Jira business project, but they still accept reimbursement requests via email. The current reimbursement process is cumbersome and hard to track, so they want to bring it into Jira. As a Jira administrator, how would you help them improve their process? Here are three of the many implementation options.

Ideas

1. Users could attach an expense report to a task in the HR team’s Jira project.
2. You could create a custom issue type to collect expense information.
3. You could create a form to collect expense information.

Your job as an admin should be to consider the end user's experience, the HR team's, and the long-term health of the Jira application. Let’s explore these options.

Idea 1: Users attach an expense report to a task

This idea requires no Jira configuration changes, but attaching an expense report to an issue isn’t much of an improvement compared to attaching it to an email. At least the data would be in a Jira instead of buried in someone’s inbox.

Idea 2: Create a custom issue type and custom fields

This idea eliminates the need for a separate file attachment but requires some new custom Jira elements, like an issue type. This method is best if new screens, a workflow, or both are needed for the reimbursement process. I’d likely create some custom fields to collect the different expense amounts, such as transportation costs, lodging costs, etc.

Idea 3: Create a form

The third idea also eliminates the need for an attachment. This method can leverage the project’s existing issue types and standard fields. Alternatively, this method could leverage custom issue types, fields, and screens. (optional)

Here’s a comparison of the second and third ideas in action.

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Jira Expense Issue Type

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In this example, I created a custom issue type called “Expense” to collect reimbursement information. I also created multiple new custom fields and placed them on tabs named “Travel Expenses” and “Total Expenses.” To achieve this, I needed to modify the project’s issue type scheme and screen scheme and create a new custom screen. It’s also possible to add other custom elements for the new issue type, like a custom field configuration and custom workflow.

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Create a Jira Form

Here’s a similar implementation, this time using Jira’s form feature.

Forms are project-specific elements. Log in as an application or project administrator to create a new form. In a business project, click the “Forms” link in the top navigation. Then click the “Create form” button.

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In this example, I created a new form called “Expense Reimbursement” and reused the custom fields created for the previous example. If I didn’t already have the custom fields, I could instruct the user to simply provide the needed cost information in a text field like the standard “Description” field.

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Tip: Always consider how you’ll use the information you’re collecting. Only create custom fields when necessary, such as when you’ll report on the information. I created these custom fields specifically so I could automatically calculate the total with an automation.

Jira Form Fields

The form has some helpful features to make it easy for users to complete. First, I added some instructional text under the form’s title. That area accepts wiki markup and supports links, images, and other elements. The first field is the standard Jira “Summary” field required for every Jira issue. I changed its display name to “Please describe the type of travel” to improve the user experience. The next five fields are the same custom fields from the last example, with slightly modified labels. The final field is the standard Jira “Description” field. Again, I modified the field label. I decided to use this field to specifically collect information about any “other costs” entered by the user. Regardless of the label of this field, the information entered will appear in the “Description” field in Jira. Another option would be to create an additional custom field to collect this “other” information.

Jira Form Configuration

The form configuration screen is very simple. All the settings are shown directly above the form. The available fields are shown on the right sidebar. Drag fields from the right to add them to the form. Remove fields by dragging them from the form back to the right sidebar. You can also reorder fields by dragging them up or down on the form.

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The first setting, on the top left, shows the Jira issue type to which the form is mapped. When this example form is submitted, a task issue is automatically created in the Jira project. If the Jira project has other issue types, click the current type to select a different one. This selection also determines which custom fields are available to display on the form.

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Note: Forms cannot be mapped to Epic or sub-task issue types.

On the top right, click the “Share” button to share the form with Jira users in a Slack channel or to copy the form’s URL.

The form URL format in business projects is: https://your-site-name.atlassian.net/jira/core/projects/project-key/form/form-id

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Tip: If you ever lose the ability to return to the new form, as I did when writing this article, simply append “/builder” to the end of the form URL.

Example: https://your-site-name.atlassian.net/jira/core/projects/project-key/form/form-id/builder

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Next to the “Share” button is a “Preview” button to see and test the form. Finally, click the “Delete form” option under the ellipses icon on the top right to remove the form.

Form Permissions

There’s one more form setting to be aware of. To the right of the form’s title is a permissions selection. The default setting is “Limited,” which means only users with the “create issues” permission in the project’s permission scheme can access the form. The other setting, labeled “Open,” means the form is accessible to any licensed Jira user.

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Note: If the form is submitted by a user who doesn’t have issue creation abilities in the project, the form will show as created by the Jira project’s lead.

Tip: If forms are regularly attributed to the project lead instead of the original submitter, expand the project’s “create issues” permission. If you cannot expand that permission, add an instruction or a custom field asking the user to enter their name in the form.

Regardless of the permission setting, a user must be logged in to Jira to access a form.

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After a form is submitted, all the information is added to a new Jira issue in the related Jira project.

Activities to Try

Now it’s your turn! Think of an easy use case and build a form for it.

Ideas

• Request a project manager for the next product launch
• Record meeting notes
• Reserve a conference room
• Collect what food guests will bring to a celebration party

Resources

• Collect information for your team with forms — https://support.atlassian.com/jira-work-management/docs/collect-information-for-your-team-with-a-form
• How to create, edit, save, and delete forms — https://support.atlassian.com/jira-work-management/docs/create-a-form
• Supported custom and standard fields — https://support.atlassian.com/jira-work-management/docs/manage-your-form-fields