How to track the history of Jira tickets moving in and out of a specific fix version

Managing and tracking the progress of Jira tickets is crucial for ensuring that projects stay on track. One common requirement is to monitor how Jira tickets move in and out of specific fix versions. This is useful for the team members who need to keep an eye on release planning and version control.

Fortunately, Jira provides robust tools and functionalities to help you track this information effectively. How do you use Jira's issue history functionality and Jira Query Language (JQL) to track the history of tickets that have moved in and out of a specific fix version, continue reading...

Using JQL Queries

JQL (Jira Query Language) is a powerful tool that allows you to create custom queries to filter and search for issues in Jira. Here’s how you can use JQL to track the movement of issues in and out of a fix version.

View issues added to a fix version

To find issues that have been added to a specific fix version, you can use the fixVersion field in your JQL query. This query will return all issues that were ever assigned to the specified fix version.

An example of JQL

fixVersion was "{yourFixVersion}"

Replace "{yourFixVersion}" with the actual name or number of your fix version.

View Issues removed from a fix version

If you need to see which issues were removed from a specific fix version, you can use the fixVersion field along with the was and changed operators. This query will show you issues that were once assigned to the fix version but are no longer part of it.

JQL example:

fixVersion was "{yourFixVersion}" AND fixVersion != "{yourFixVersion}"

Track changes over time

To get a more detailed history and track changes over time, you can look at the change history of each issue. This is particularly useful for understanding how issues have been reassigned between different fix versions.

JQL:

fixVersion changed FROM "{oldFixVersion}" TO "{newFixVersion}"

Replace "{oldFixVersion}" and "{newFixVersion}" with the actual names of the fix versions you are interested in.

Tracking updates over a specific time period

In addition to tracking which issues moved in and out of a fix version, you might also want to see how Jira tickets in a fixVersion were updated over a specific time period, excluding comments.

How to view issues updated in the last 5 days

To find issues in a specific fix version that were updated in the last 5 days, use the following JQL query

fixVersion = "{yourFixVersion}" AND updated >= -5d

View issues updated in the last 2 weeks

To find issues in a specific fix version that were updated in the last 2 weeks, use the following JQL query

fixVersion = "{yourFixVersion}" AND updated >= -2w

What about if you need to analyse updates between specific time periods in Jira using JQL. To track updates to Jira tickets in a fix version between 5 weeks ago and 3 weeks ago, you can use the updated field with date ranges.

View issues that were updated between 5 and 3 weeks ago

To find issues in a specific fix version that were updated between 5 weeks ago and 3 weeks ago, use the following JQL query

fixVersion = "{yourFixVersion}" AND updated >= -5w AND updated <= -3w

Replace "{yourFixVersion}" with the actual name of your fix version.

Filter issues in YYYY-MM-DD date format

Jira supports the YYYY-MM-DD date format for more precise date-based searches.  To track issues in a specific fix version that have been updated and had FixVersion changes within specific dates.  For example, to track changes and updates between June 1, 2024, and June 15, 2024

fixVersion was "{yourFixVersion}" AND updated >= "2024-06-01" AND updated <= "2024-06-15"

Advanced tracking with plugins

For more advanced tracking, especially if you need to exclude comments and focus on updates to specific fields like descriptions or acceptance criteria, you can use plugins like ScriptRunner for Jira or JQL Tricks Plugin.

Using ScriptRunner for Jira

Install ScriptRunner for Jira. If you haven't already, install the ScriptRunner for Jira plugin from the Atlassian Marketplace.  Once this action has been completed you'll be able to create custom JQL dunctions.  Use a custom JQL function provided by ScriptRunner to filter issues updated by fields other than comments.

issueFunction in issueFieldMatch("project = YourProject", "description", ".*") AND fixVersion = "{yourFixVersion}" AND updated >= -5w AND updated <= -3w

This example checks for changes in the description field but you can adapt it for other fields as needed.

Using JQL tricks plugin

Install JQL Tricks Plugin. If you haven't already, install the JQL Tricks Plugin from the Atlassian Marketplace.

Advanced JQL Query: Use the JQL Tricks Plugin to create more complex queries that focus on specific field changes.

fixVersion = "{yourFixVersion}" AND updated >= -5w AND updated <= -3w AND issueField in ("description", "customfield_10001")

This example assumes customfield_10001 represents your AC field. Adjust the field names as necessary to meet your requirements.

Practical steps

Run a JQL query

Go to Jira's search bar

Enter a query like fixVersion was "{yourFixVersion}" to see issues that were ever in the specified fix version

Enter the desired query, such as fixVersion = "{yourFixVersion}" AND updated >= -5w AND updated <= -3w, to see issues that match the criteria

Refine your query

Use additional JQL functions to refine your search based on specific criteria like dates, assignees, or status changes

Save the filter

After running the query, save the filter for future use by clicking on the "Save as" option.

Give the filter a meaningful name, such as "FixVersion Updates Between 5 and 3 Weeks Ago."

Create a custom report

Save your refined JQL queries as filters

Create a dashboard with widgets that use these filters to display historical changes in a more visual format

Create a dashboard gadget

Navigate to your Jira dashboard

Add a gadget, such as the "Filter Results" gadget

Configure the gadget to use the saved filter, providing a visual representation of the issues updated in the specified time frame.

The wrap

Using Jira's issue history functionality and JQL, you can effectively track the movement of tickets in and out of specific fix versions. This helps in maintaining a clear view of your project's progress. Using these JQL queries, you can enhance your ability to monitor and control a project's versioning.  Using Jira's issue history functionality and JQL, you can effectively track updates to Jira tickets in a specific fix version over custom time periods. By incorporating advanced plugins like ScriptRunner for Jira or JQL Tricks Plugin, you can create more refined queries that exclude comments and focus on specific field changes.