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How to create a new multilevel select custom field with options?

🐾 Steps

1. Go to Issues > Custom fields.

2. Create a new custom field of type Multilevel Select. You will find it in the advanced section.

3. Click "Contexts and the default value" next to the custom field that has already been created.

4. Click Edit custom field config.

5. Create as many options as you need. Each parent option represents a separate selection.

6. To create a dependent select, click Options to open and configure a new level.

7. Click Save to save changes.

How to add a Multilevel Select custom field to the project?

a) Company-managed project

To add a custom field in a company-managed project, you can do it from the custom field level with Screens and context and then add or remove the associated screen.

You can get the same result by adding a custom field to the list in Screens options on the left menu in Issue global settings.

⚠️ To add a custom field to the company-managed project, you must be a global admin.

b) Team-managed project

In a team-managed project, go to the project settings -> issue types -> Search for field -> and add a custom field where needed.

⚠️ You can do it as project admin.

👀 Now, create a cascading custom field by yourself with an interactive demo.

How to set the field as required?

If you would like to set this custom field as required on the create issue screen, check this option when setting up options.

1. Go to Issues > Custom fields.

2. Find the custom field you want to set as required or create a new one.

3. Click "Contexts and the default value".

4. Click Edit custom field config.

5. In the left corner, there is the Settings drop-down. Choose the Set fields required.

6. If you mark the checkbox, the user must fill in all selects visible on the dialog.

How to add options in bulk?

⏰ To save time, you can add several options to a level at once.

🐾 Steps

1. Click Add options in bulk on the level to which you want to add options. Notice that this option adds options to the list; it is not a replacement (it does not remove existing ones).

2. On the dialog, type in each option in a separate line. Use Enter to jump to the next line. Remember that the option’s name must be unique.

3. Click Add to add options to the list.

4. Click Save to save changes in the custom field.

How to reorder options?

You can change the position of options within a level. Hover over the drag-and-drop icon on the left side, grab the option, and move it anywhere. You can also click on the icon above the options and sort them alphabetically. Clicking the icon again will reverse the sort order.

How to disable the option?

If you don't need an option but don't want to lose data already written in issues, disable it. Don't delete it!

🐾 Steps

1. Go to the option that you want to disable.

2. Click Disable.

3. Click Save to save changes in the custom field.

🎉 Result

The disabled option is not available in the user's selection, and neither are its children. However, you can turn it on at any time by clicking Enable.

👉 Next steps

Let's check how to use it on the create issue view and customer portal.

The multilevel select custom field looks the same as the regular Jira select. Depending on which screen the Jira administrator added this custom field to, a Jira user can enter a value on the Create issue screen and the View issue screen.

Create an issue with cascading custom field.

🐾 Steps

1. Click Create on the top navigation in Jira.

2. Click on the area below the multilevel select name to open the dialog.

3. Choose values on the select lists.

4. Click Save.

5. Continue creating an issue.

6. Click Create to save values as a new issue in Jira.

🎉 Result

A new issue with a filled Multilevel Select custom field has been created in Jira.

View issue screen to display or change values

🐾 Steps

1. Click on the area next to the Multilevel Select name to open the dialog.

2. Choose values on the select lists.

3. Click Save.

🎉 Result

The Multilevel Select custom field has been edited on the issue.

By default, a custom field added to the View issue screen is visible in the right panel under Details. You can pin it to the top if you want - this field will be moved to the Pinned fields.

If you want to display this field in the left area, change its position in the configuration: Project settings > Issue layout. You can also create a tab on the screen and move this field there. It's configurable in the Project settings > Screens.

👉 Next steps

Let's check how to implement Multilevel Select field on the customer portal.

Integrating cascading custom fields into the service desk portal improves the customer service experience by enabling customers to accurately specify their needs through a detailed hierarchy, helping them select the most appropriate option.

How to add a custom field to the portal?

Remember to add your Multilevel Select custom field to appropriate screens, including those from Jira Service Management, and to request types.

1. Go to the custom fields after choosing Issues in global settings.

2. Find your custom fields and choose Screens and contexts.

3. Add custom fields to the proper service desk project's screens.

1. Now, you have to add the field to the request type in which you would like to use this field. Go to the project settings -> Request types -> Choose the one you need -> and custom field with drag and drop.

2. This field is labeled as hidden—please don't bother. It's a configuration workaround. Also, as a hidden field, custom field names cannot be translated into languages.

Result 🎉

Now, you should display the Multilevel Select custom field on the portal in the chosen projects.

When customers create tickets, they can define values from multilevel select catalogs.

Agents see chosen values right in the ticket details in Jira.

👉 Next steps

Now let's explore how to manage values from the Multilevel Select custom field efficiently with the gadget.

Multilevel Select for Jira provides a dedicated JQL searcher that lets you search for issues which include a filled multilevel select custom field. It works slightly different in comparison with regular select or cascading select custom fields. Each level has its representation in JQL.

This searcher can be used in any place in Jira where using JQL is available: in the Issue Navigator, in a Saved Filter, as an Agile Board query, etc.

To find issues which include a multilevel select custom field, enter: "[customfield_name]" or "[customfield_name].levelX", where X is the number of level.

Example

Let's look at the multilevel select custom field called "Provide your country". Its structure is shown below.

Provide your country

Below are examples of how to search for issues depending on the values entered in the multilevel select custom field.

Forge custom field searcher

In case of any issues with JQL, check if the proper searcher is set for the multilevel select custom field. The valid option is Forge custom field searcher.

🐾 Steps

1. Go to Issues > Custom fields.

2. Find a multilevel select custom field which you want to configure.

3. Click Edit details.

4. Check Search template.

👉 Next steps

Let's check how to save searching as a filter and use it on the dashboard.

There is a possibility of translating the level's name, descriptions, and options.

How to translate options?

1. Go to the custom field and its context, and edit the custom field configuration just as you want to configure some levels.

2. Below each tab, you will see a Translate option.

3. Expand the Translate option, choose a language, and type the translated text.

4. Go to the next levels if you want to translate other options.

5. Don't forget to save the changes.

Languages available:

• English UK

• English US

• Chinese (China)

• Chinese (Taiwan)

• Czech

• Dutch

• Estonian

• Finnish

• French

• Hungarian

• German

• Icelandic

• Italian

• Japanese

• Korean

• Norwegian

• Polish

• Portuguese (brazil)

• Portuguese (Portugal)

• Romanian

• Russian

• Slovak

• Spanish

• Swedish

• Turkish

• Vietnamese

How to use Multilevel Select as a gadget on the dashboard?

Multilevel Select also works as a standard gadget. It displays which values are defined in each custom field and level and in which issues.

Steps 🐾

1. Create a new dashboard in the top navigation bar, or open an already created one and edit it.

2. Find Multilevel Select gadget.

3. Choose a cascading field you want to use and define how to group the results. You can group issues by Status Category, Priority, Assignee, and Status.

4. You can also add JQL filter.

5. Enjoy the results 🎉

6. You can easily navigate into issues containing the given level.

When you configure Multilevel Select with many levels and options, don't lose this data; save it for later. Then, you have a ready-to-import file to speed up your work and eliminate tedious, manual typing.

Import values to Multilevel Select custom field

Steps 🐾

1. Create a custom field from the advanced library: Multilevel Select

2. Go to the context page and edit the custom field config.

3. Now, in the left corner, expand settings.

4. You can import values from CSV or JSON format.

5. Choose a file, and voilà 🎉

How to prepare a file to import?

Accepted formats: .CSV and JSON

1. Prepare your file in columns. Below you can see the correctly prepared file where:

• Row 1: Add header for this table - headers for Levels are required; the rest is optional, but there you can put level names and descriptions, mark them as default, and enable field and option ID.

• Row 2-29: Options in hierarchical tree.

• Column H: Optional level name

• Column I: Optional description

• Column J: If the option is default (forms accepted: YES/NO, 0/1, yes/no, y/n, Y/N, Yes/No, True/False, TRUE/FALSE, true/false, T/F, t/f )

• Column K: If the option is enabled (forms accepted: YES/NO, 0/1, yes/no, y/n, Y/N, Yes/No, True/False, TRUE/FALSE, true/false, T/F, t/f )

• Column L: Option ID

This is an example of a correct file with a use case about Internal Service Catalog.

Download CSV to see how it should look like.

1. Next, export this file to CSV format (.csv), and ensure the separator is comma.

2. Import file in Multilevel Select configuration.

3. The levels and options will be automatically loaded if the file is corrected. If not, there will be a list of errors that make it easier to track mistakes.

4. Export is to the same format.

JSON format

For this kind of format, use JSON writer tools and prepare the file as the code below:

{
   "version":"1.0.0",
   "firstLevel":{
      "options":[
         {
            "value":"Technical Support",
            "id":"",
            "isDefault":false,
            "isEnabled":true,
            "nestedLevel":{
               "options":[
                  {
                     "value":"Hardware Issues",
                     "id":"",
                     "isDefault":false,
                     "isEnabled":true,
                     "nestedLevel":{
                        "options":[
                           {
                              "value":"Laptops",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           },
                           {
                              "value":"Desktops",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           }
                        ]
                     }
                  },
                  {
                     "value":"Software Issues",
                     "id":"",
                     "isDefault":false,
                     "isEnabled":true,
                     "nestedLevel":{
                        "options":[
                           {
                              "value":"Apps Error",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true,
                              "nestedLevel":{
                                 "options":[
                                    {
                                       "value":"App XYZ",
                                       "id":"",
                                       "isDefault":false,
                                       "isEnabled":true,
                                       "nestedLevel":{
                                          "options":[
                                             {
                                                "value":"Crashes",
                                                "id":"",
                                                "isDefault":false,
                                                "isEnabled":true
                                             },
                                             {
                                                "value":"Features",
                                                "id":"",
                                                "isDefault":false,
                                                "isEnabled":true
                                             },
                                             {
                                                "value":"Slow performance",
                                                "id":"",
                                                "isDefault":false,
                                                "isEnabled":true
                                             }
                                          ]
                                       }
                                    },
                                    {
                                       "value":"App ABC",
                                       "id":"",
                                       "isDefault":false,
                                       "isEnabled":true,
                                       "nestedLevel":{
                                          "options":[
                                             {
                                                "value":"Crashes",
                                                "id":"",
                                                "isDefault":false,
                                                "isEnabled":true
                                             },
                                             {
                                                "value":"Features",
                                                "id":"",
                                                "isDefault":false,
                                                "isEnabled":true
                                             },
                                             {
                                                "value":"Slow performance",
                                                "id":"",
                                                "isDefault":false,
                                                "isEnabled":true
                                             }
                                          ]
                                       }
                                    }
                                 ]
                              }
                           },
                           {
                              "value":"Software Installation",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           }
                        ]
                     }
                  },
                  {
                     "value":"Network Issues",
                     "id":"",
                     "isDefault":false,
                     "isEnabled":true,
                     "nestedLevel":{
                        "options":[
                           {
                              "value":"Connectivity Problems",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           },
                           {
                              "value":"VPN Setup",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           }
                        ]
                     }
                  }
               ]
            }
         },
         {
            "value":"Project Management",
            "id":"",
            "isDefault":false,
            "isEnabled":true,
            "nestedLevel":{
               "options":[
                  {
                     "value":"Project planning",
                     "id":"",
                     "isDefault":false,
                     "isEnabled":true,
                     "nestedLevel":{
                        "options":[
                           {
                              "value":"Requirements Gathering",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           },
                           {
                              "value":"Resource Allocation",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           }
                        ]
                     }
                  },
                  {
                     "value":"Execution and Monitoring",
                     "id":"",
                     "isDefault":false,
                     "isEnabled":true,
                     "nestedLevel":{
                        "options":[
                           {
                              "value":"Task Tracking",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           },
                           {
                              "value":"Status Reporting",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           }
                        ]
                     }
                  },
                  {
                     "value":"Project Closure",
                     "id":"",
                     "isDefault":false,
                     "isEnabled":true,
                     "nestedLevel":{
                        "options":[
                           {
                              "value":"Deliverable Handover",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           },
                           {
                              "value":"Post-Implementation Review",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           }
                        ]
                     }
                  }
               ]
            }
         },
         {
            "value":"Development Services",
            "id":"",
            "isDefault":false,
            "isEnabled":true,
            "nestedLevel":{
               "options":[
                  {
                     "value":"Web Development",
                     "id":"",
                     "isDefault":false,
                     "isEnabled":true,
                     "nestedLevel":{
                        "options":[
                           {
                              "value":"Frontend Development",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           },
                           {
                              "value":"Backend Development",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           }
                        ]
                     }
                  },
                  {
                     "value":"Mobile App Development",
                     "id":"",
                     "isDefault":false,
                     "isEnabled":true,
                     "nestedLevel":{
                        "options":[
                           {
                              "value":"iOS Development",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           },
                           {
                              "value":"Android Development",
                              "id":"",
                              "isDefault":false,
                              "isEnabled":true
                           }
                        ]
                     }
                  }
               ]
            }
         }
      ]
   }
}

How to delete an option?

1. Go to the options for the selected custom field.

2. Click on the option you want to delete.

3. Click on the Delete, and that's all.

Anne leads an HR team and oversees a project that functions as an internal employee service desk. She wants to create an internal service catalog.

Here's a breakdown of how the cascading select field levels might be structured based on the provided context:

Workflow:

• Anne asked the admin to create a custom multilevel select field named "Service Catalog"

• The Multilevel Select field has levels:

Service Categories

• Technical Support

  • Hardware Issues

    • Laptops

    • Desktops

  • Software Issues

    • Apps Error

      • App XYZ

        • Crashes

        • Features

        • Slow performance

      • App ABC

        • Crashes

        • Features

        • Slow performance

    • Software Installation

  • Network Issues

    • Connectivity Problems

    • VPN Setup

• Project Management

  • Project planning

    • Requirements Gathering

    • Resource Allocation

  • Execution and Monitoring

    • Task Tracking

    • Status Reporting

  • Project Closure

    • Deliverable Handover

    • Post-Implementation Review

• Development Services

  • Web Development

    • Frontend Development

    • Backend Development

  • Mobile App Development

    • iOS Development

    • Android Development

For example, Alice is tester in Technical Support team and works on features in ABC apps. So she chooses Technical Support -> Software Issues -> App ABC -> Features .

Benefits:

• Improved Usability: Users can easily find and select the relevant options without being overwhelmed by numerous fields.

• Enhanced Readability: A single cascading select field with logical groupings makes the form more readable and reduces cognitive load.

• Time Efficiency: Employees save time by quickly locating the necessary options, thus improving productivity and reducing frustration.

• Cost Savings: By streamlining the process, the company reduces the time and resources spent on navigating and filling out complex forms, leading to cost savings.

The IT department has set up a request type to handle new hardware requests from employees. A custom multilevel select field streamlines the request process, allowing employees to specify the type of hardware they need and the associated specifications.

Workflow:

• Create a request type "New Hardware Request".

• Create a custom multilevel select field named "Hardware Request Details.", and add it to the screens and request type.

• Cascading custom field can look like this:

New Hardware Request

• Hardware Types

  • Laptops

    • High performance

      • MacBook

        • 14'

        • 16'

        • 18'

      • Dell

        • 14'

        • 16'

        • 18'

      • Standard

        • HP

          • 14'

          • 15'

          • 16'

        • Lenovo

          • 13'

          • 15'

          • 16'

        • Asus

          • 10'

          • 13'

          • 15'

          • 16'

    • Desktops

      • High Performance

      • Standard

      • Compact

    • Monitor

      • 4K

      • Full HD

      • Ultrawide

    • Peripheral

      • Keyboard

        • Wireless

        • Standard

      • Mouse

        • Wireless

        • Ergonomic

        • Standard

      • Headset

      • Docking Station

Example Scenario:

Jane needs a new laptop for remote work. She creates a "New Hardware Request" issue in Jira, selects "Laptop" in the first level of the multilevel select field, and then selects "Lightweight" in the second level. She would like a 16-inch MacBook. She submits the issue for review.

Tom needs an ergonomic mouse for his home office setup. He creates a "New Hardware Request" ticket, selects "Mouse" in the first level of the multilevel select field, and then selects "Ergonomic" in the second level. He submits the issue for review.

Benefits:

• Efficient Request Process: The multilevel select field allows employees to provide detailed hardware requests in a structured and efficient manner.

• Clear Specifications: Ensures that the IT department receives all necessary information to fulfill requests accurately.

• Streamlined Review: IT can easily review and prioritize requests based on detailed specifications, improving response times and satisfaction.

A company uses the Jira service desk to manage customer support tickets. To streamline the process of incident reporting, a custom Multilevel Select field is implemented, allowing customers to specify the application, hosting type, and version involved in the incident.

Workflow:

Admin creates a custom field, adds it to the screen, and requests the type.

Customer:

• Logs into the Help Center.

• Creates a new ticket titled "Incident Report."

• Fills out the custom multilevel select field named "Incident Details."

• The multilevel select field "Applications" has three levels:

Applications

• App A

  • Cloud

    • v. 1.0

    • v. 1.1

  • Data Center

    • v. 3.0

    • v. 3.1

    • v. 3.2

• App B

  • Cloud

    • v. 2.1

    • v. 2.2.

    • v. 2.3

  • Data Center

    • v. 1.0

    • v 1.1

• App C

  • Cloud

    • v. 4.2.1

    • v. 4.0

    • v. 4.1.1

  • Data Center

    • v. 1.0

    • v. 1.1.

• Provides additional details about the incident in the description field.

• Submits the ticket.

Support Team:

• Review the submitted ticket and the selected application, hosting type, and version.

• Triages the issue based on the provided details and assigns it to the appropriate team member.

• Investigates and resolve the incident, providing updates in the issue comments.

• Updates the issue status to "Resolved" once the incident is addressed.

Alice is encountering an issue with "App A" hosted on the cloud. She logs into the Jira Service Desk portal, creates an "Incident Report" issue, selects "App A" in the first level, "Cloud" in the second level, and "v1.1" in the third level. She describes the problem and submits the ticket.

Bob encounters an issue with "App B" hosted on a Data Center - version 1.0. He creates an "Incident Report" issue, selects "App B" in the first level, "Data Center (DC)" in the second level, and "v.1.0" in the third level. He describes the issue and submits the ticket.

Benefits:

• Structured Reporting: The Multilevel Select field ensures that all necessary information about the application, hosting type, and version is captured in a structured manner.

• Efficient Triage: Support teams can quickly triage and assign incidents based on the detailed information provided.

• Improved Resolution Time: With clear and detailed incident reports, the support team can more efficiently investigate and resolve issues.