Projects are collections of issues, and issues are collections of fields. As we have seen in the earlier chapters, fields capture data, which can then be displayed to users. There are many different types of field in Jira, ranging from simple text fields that let you input alphanumeric text, to more complicated fields with pickers to assist you with choosing dates and users.

An information system is only as useful as the data that goes into it. By understanding how to effectively use fields, you can turn Jira into a powerful information system for data collection, processing, and reporting.

In this chapter, we will expand our HR project with these customized fields and configurations, by exploring fields in detail and learning how they relate to other aspects of Jira. By the end of this chapter, you will have learned the following:

• Using system and custom fields
• Collecting custom data through custom fields
• Adding behaviors to fields with field configurations
• Understanding field configuration schemes and how to apply them to projects