How can I add one of the descriptive fields in the backlog overview?

[Chris Boerakker]

Hi everyone,

I'm administering user stories of several teams in one backlog. We give a priority for preparation for the sprint planning and we, as IT team, also give story points. But every team sets it's own priority (number) within the team. As the rating range varies it would be nice to have that rating next to the story points and the priority in the backlog overview to make planning across teams easier.

How do I add a field to the backlog as extra 'column'?

Thank you

[Trudy Claspill · Accepted solution]

Hello @Chris Boerakker 

Are you working with a Team Managed project or a Company Managed project?

For a Company Managed project you can add up to three fields to the cards in the backlog. On your board click the ... button in the upper right and select Settings. Then select Card Layout. There you can add three fields to the Backlog cards, and three fields to the Board cards.

Note this doesn't add the field as a "column" in the card. Instead it adds the data below the existing data. There is a change request about being able to change the columns here:

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JSWCLOUD-16556

[plainclothes]

Unless I'm missing something, that will only change the fields displayed on the board, not the backlog as the OP requested. I've been waiting for the feature for a looong time.

[Trudy Claspill]

@plainclothes to what are you referring?

For the solution I suggested for Company Managed projects you can add fields to the Backlog cards and add other fields to the Board cards.

[plainclothes]

I stand corrected. Thanks for the tip!

[Chris Boerakker]

Hi Trudy,

This is clear. I've seen that I can add fields to the backlog in a company managed project. Now I need to find out what possible disadvantages/limitations there are for using a company managed project instead of the team managed. But it is clear that what I was looking for is available in the company managed project.

Thank you

[Trudy Claspill]

Information on the differences can be found here:

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-software-cloud/docs/learn-the-basics-of-team-managed-projects/

One big difference is who can customize the project. For Team Managed projects the project administrator is able to make customizations to workflows and issue types. For Company Managed projects such customizations can be made only by a Jira Administrator.

One advantage of Company Managed projects is you can make additional boards for managing the data in the projects, and in those boards there is a variety of functionality that is not currently available in the boards for Team Managed projects.

[Chris Boerakker]

Aha, and is a Jira admin in a different license or a person to reach out to?

[Trudy Claspill]

Your company should have internal people who are Jira Administrators. Jira Administrators are licensed users of your instance who have additional permissions beyond the standard users.

If you are unsure who those people are, check with your supervisor, or the person who helped you get access to your Jira instance, or your IT department. Somebody among those people should know who the Jira Administrators are.