The idea of the app has been in our minds since we first started to customize Jira for our clients, so no wonder an app has been a success after it got implemented.

Problem definition

Let's talk about select lists, for instance. When dealing with select lists in Jira, you have the possibility to create static select lists via the usual custom fields. As amazing as it is, it is not enough though. Select lists can be dynamic in nature, in which case the usual custom fields are really not helpful.

Imagine that your field is actually a select from the database. Or a list of components that should be determined at runtime based on user roles in the project.

Entering the stage: Power Custom Fields PRO™

Power Custom Fields PRO™ resolves all of the above problems of the dynamic select lists: data for the CF is obtained through Simple Issue Language™ or SIL™ (and we plan to add more options on it). And at save time we allow one more optional interaction with the CF through SIL™, enabling you to update dependent fields or issues (or maybe just log it).

The data is obtained through a SIL™ script, enabling you to intervene in the process of data build-up even in the stages of the autocomplete. This is a huge advantage for Jira-addicts (like we are) because it enables you to filter more efficiently based on what user types are in the field (car parts, computer parts, airplane parts, and so on).

Data selection is scripted too. This means that using SIL™ you can intercept the selection that the user has made and act on it.

How it works

With Power Custom Fields PRO™ you can create new types of custom fields in your Jira that can be configured as you wish. These will improve the user experience and will enable you to customize your Jira.

We see two immediate use cases for the app:

• Dynamic choices
• Huge Datasets when the user has to filter via autocomplete.

You can have data presented to the user in the following ways:

• Select lists – simple or with auto-complete, single or multiple
• Radio buttons – if you have only a handful of choices
• Checkboxes – for multiple, but few, choices

For that, the app provides the following types of custom fields: 

• PCF Checkbox
• PCF Radio Buttons
• PCF Single Select
• PCF Multi Select
• PCF Single Autocomplete
• PCF Multiple Autocomplete

Each of these custom fields can be configured to behave like virtually any type of pickers – issue, version, project, user, and so on. And in addition to that, the String option provides you the means to select anything.

To please the eye of the user and to make the lists look like the Jira standard lists, we added special renderers for the following elements:

• Issue
• Component
• Project Version
• Project
• Group
• User

The default renderer is used just to show general data.

See also

The app functionality overlaps with User Group Picker PRO and partially with Power Database Fields PRO™.