Custom Issue Fields 

The "Custom Issues Fields" feature allows you to add additional fields to your issue types, therefore asking the user for additional data specific to your requirements.

There are nine types of field types available:

Dropdown list with custom text choices
Present the user with a list of possible choices to select from. One option is always selected but the user can select another from the list.

Single line text input
This is the simplest custom field and offers the user a single line to enter free text

Textarea in issue main area
Allows the user to type more text and use simple Wiki formatting codes. The field will appear as a predominant field in the main area of the issue screen so is highly visible

Textarea (small) in issue details area
Allows the user to type more text and use simple Wiki formatting codes. The field will appear on the left of the issue screen along with other fields, taking up less screen space

Radio Choices
Pick one option from a list - all possible entires are displayed on the screen for selection. Initially nothing is selected from the list

Select a release for the list of available releases
Select a component for the list of available components
Select an edition for the list of available editions
Dropdown list with statuses
These four options present a dropdown list of choices relating to release, components, editions or statues

Creating and using new Custom Issue field  

For the purposes of understanding this article we will create a simple field to hold free text entered by the user. We wish to ask the user for their contact telephone number.

Create the field  

Within 'General Configuration' for TBG select 'Issue Fields' You will see a list of the standard fields and below this a list of Custom issue fields. In the Yellow area...

• select your 'Custom Type' as detailed above.
• Type a field name - this is not displayed to the user but is used internally only
• The field label will be shown to the user so keep it meaningful but short.
• Click 'Add Custom field' button.

You may optionally scroll to the bottom of the list of custom fields, click the Edit icon and add some instruction text which will also be offered to the user. In here you can give more detailed guidance for your field. If you selected a Dropdown or Radio field type you would also use the Edit Icon beside the newly added Custom Field to add choices to the list of options presented to the user.

For our example let us add our field:
Custom Type : Single line text input
fieldname: contNum
Label: Contact Number

Making use of the new Custom Field  

Custom fields are turned on and off using Issue Type Schemes. To access the schemes click on the 'Issue Types' in the General Configuration page then click the 'Issue Type Schemes' tab.

By default, TBG ships with a predefined Scheme and you can not modify this. If you do not already have a custom scheme create one now by clicking on the 'Create Copy' icon under actions for the default Scheme. Give the new copy a name of your choice, example 'Custom Scheme'

Now edit your custom scheme using the Edit icon in the action button to the right of the Scheme name.

You are shown a list of Issue Types associated with your scheme. We now add our custom fields to some or all of the Types.

Continuing with our example we wish to ask the user for their contact number when they report a Bug.

• Click on the last icon 'Show/Edit' on the line of 'Bug Report'.
• Scroll down the list to the bottom and you should see 'Contact Number'.
• Now tick the options to determine when you wish to ask the user for the Contact Number.
• Visible: Show this Custom Field in the Issue type, but it will NOT be asked for on the first screen when reporting the issue. You need to tick this option to enable it on the issue.
• Reportable: The field will appear as part of the key information being asked when the user first creates the Issue. For our purposes we should tick this.
• Additional: If ticked, the field will appear on the first screen when first reporting the issue, however it will be shown in the "Add more information to your issue" at the bottom of the initial reporting screen. This allows the user to complete it but it is not part of the main area.
• Required: If selected the user must complete the field before submitting the report. This has no effect if you have ticked 'Additional'

Click Save

Using the Issue Scheme  

So far we have created a custom field and added it to a custom issue scheme however we must now tell a project to use this new scheme.

To configure your project go into the Settings tab and change the 'Issuetype Scheme' to your custom scheme.

Click Save

If we now Report a new issue of 'Bug Report' on the Project we should be asked for our Contact Number in the first screen (as we ticked 'Reportable').