How to Create Issue Templates in Jira Cloud (Step-by-Step)

Jira issue templates tutorial — three setup approaches compared

Jira Cloud doesn't ship with a native "issue templates" feature, but there are three practical ways to get template-like behavior when creating issue templates in Jira. This guide walks through each approach — from zero-config workarounds to dedicated apps — so you can pick the one that fits your team size and workflow complexity.

Why Jira Cloud doesn't have built-in issue templates​

Jira Server and Data Center had a rich ecosystem of template plugins that let admins define reusable issue structures and expose them directly in the Create Issue dialog. Jira Cloud launched without an equivalent, and native template support has remained limited to this day.

Atlassian's documented workaround is an automation rule that sets a default description by issue type — which covers the simplest case. But a description rule is not a template catalog. It does not support a template picker, cross-field defaults, issue hierarchies, or governed access. Recurring community requests like JRACLOUD-42197 show this gap is still felt.

For teams creating the same issue types week after week — bug intakes, sprint kickoffs, onboarding checklists — the native options require workarounds. The rest of this guide covers all three.

Option 1 — Use Jira Automation rules as templates​

Jira Automation is the most flexible native approach. A rule fires when a trigger condition is met and sets field values on the newly created issue — effectively applying a "template" without any additional app.

There are two patterns for Automation-based templates:

Pattern A — Default description on issue creation (Atlassian's documented approach):

Open Automation settings

Go to Project Settings → Automation for project-scoped rules, or Settings → System → Automation rules for global rules (Jira admin only).

Create a rule with trigger: Issue created

Click Create rule. Select trigger Issue created. This fires every time a new issue is created in scope.

Add a condition: Issue Type

Add condition Issue fields condition → Issue Type = Bug. Without this, the rule applies to all issue types regardless of what the user creates.

Add action: Edit issue

Add action Edit issue. Set the Description field to your structured template text — for example, sections for Steps to Reproduce, Expected Result, and Actual Result.

Enable and test the rule

Enable the rule, create a test Bug issue, and verify the description template is applied after creation. Repeat for each issue type that needs a template.

Pattern B — Manually triggered rule creates a new pre-filled issue on demand:

Instead of "Issue created" as trigger, use Manually triggered. Add a Create issue action with all fields pre-filled: Summary, Description, Priority, Components, Labels. Users run the rule from the project's Automation panel to create a new issue from the template.

Limitations of the Automation approach

• No template picker in Create. For Pattern A, the rule fires after the issue is created — users briefly see a blank form and the description fills in after saving. For Pattern B, users must navigate to Automation to run the rule; there is no template selector in the Create Issue dialog.
• One rule per template. Five templates for five issue types means five rules to create, maintain, and update separately.
• No hierarchy. A single rule creates one issue. Creating Epic → Stories → Subtasks requires chaining 3–5 rules with branching logic — complex to build and fragile to maintain.
• Template content is locked inside the rule. Updating a description template means editing the automation rule directly. At scale, finding which rule owns which template becomes difficult.

When Option 1 is the right fit: your team needs 1–3 stable, simple templates, the description format is the main concern, and you already use Automation for other purposes. For a deep dive on the Automation approach for complex hierarchy creation, see the Jira Automation issue templates guide.

Option 2 — Clone a "template issue" manually​

The simplest possible workaround requires zero setup: create a Jira issue that exists purely as a template, then clone it whenever you need a new issue of that type.

Setup:

1. Create a new Jira issue with an obvious identifier in the Summary — for example, [TEMPLATE] Bug Report — do not edit.
2. Fill in all the fields you want pre-populated: Description (with your structured template text), Priority, Components, Labels, Story Points.
3. Add a label like issue-template so you can filter these out of normal board views.
4. Bookmark or pin the issue for easy access.

Using the template:

1. Open the template issue.
2. Click More (⋯) → Clone.
3. Update the Summary in the Clone dialog. The new issue opens with all fields copied.
4. Edit the Description, fill in the specifics, and move the issue to the correct project and sprint.

Limitations of the Clone approach

• Jira Cloud's Clone does not copy child issues. If your template issue has subtasks or child Stories, they will not be cloned. You recreate the hierarchy manually every time.
• Template issues pollute the backlog. Unless you filter by label, template issues show up in board views, JQL searches, and reports. Teams often forget which issues are templates and which are real work.
• No template picker. Users must find and open the right template issue before cloning — there is no list, no search, and no guidance in the Create flow.
• Drift risk. When the template needs updating, someone must remember to update the template issue. There is no governance on who can modify it or a history of what changed.

When Option 2 is the right fit: a single person occasionally needs a structured issue for a repeatable task, there is no hierarchy involved, and setting up Automation rules feels like overkill. It is also a useful bridge while evaluating a proper solution.

Option 3 — Use a dedicated issue template app (recommended)​

A purpose-built template app closes all the gaps: it adds a template picker to the Create Issue dialog, supports issue hierarchies, provides dynamic field resolution, and includes a permission model so the right people manage templates without touching Automation rules.

Why it matters: the core difference between Options 1–2 and a dedicated app is when the template is applied. Automation sets values after creation. Clone produces a copy you then edit. A template app pre-fills the Create Issue form — users see a complete, structured issue before clicking Create.

Install Templify from the Atlassian Marketplace

Find Templify on the Atlassian Marketplace and start a free trial. Installation takes under 2 minutes; no configuration required to start the trial.

Create your first template

Go to Apps → Templify → Manage templates → Create template. Give the template a clear name (for example, "Bug Report — Backend") and select the target issue type.

Define default field values

Fill in the fields you want pre-populated: Description (with structured sections), Priority, Components, Labels, Story Points, and any custom fields. You can also use dynamic values — for example, set Due Date to now + 1d or assign the current sprint automatically.

Optionally add child issues

For hierarchy templates, add child templates: Stories under an Epic, Subtasks under a Story. When the template is used, Templify creates the full tree — Epic, Stories, and Subtasks — in one action.

Set the template scope and save

Choose which projects can use this template (global or selected projects). Save. The template now appears in the template picker inside the standard Create Issue dialog for users in those projects.

Templify is free for teams up to 10 users

Templify offers a free tier for up to 10 Jira users — no credit card required. The paid trial gives access to the full feature set including hierarchy templates, dynamic fields, audit logs, and Jira Automation integration. See the quick guide to get your first template working in under 30 minutes.

Comparison: which approach is right for your team?​

The honest boundary: if you need templates for a single project, one or two issue types, and your team is small, native Jira options are often enough to start. The cost of adding an app is only justified when the maintenance burden of workarounds exceeds the subscription cost — which usually happens once you have 5+ templates or templates shared across multiple projects.

For a detailed decision framework, see the Jira issue templates native vs app guide.

Common questions​

Can I have different templates for different projects?

With Automation, each rule is scoped to a project or globally — you can configure separate rules per project. With the Clone approach, there is no concept of scoping; the template issue lives in a specific project. With a dedicated app like Templify, each template can be scoped to specific projects individually, so the "Bug Report — Backend" template only appears in backend projects.

What about Jira team-managed projects?

Options 1 and 2 work the same way in team-managed projects. Dedicated apps may have differences — Templify supports team-managed projects, but the Issue Template field may require manual setup. See the team-managed project configuration docs for details.

Can Jira Automation trigger a template app?

Yes, if the app supports it. Templify registers two native Jira Automation actions — Create Issue from Template and Apply Issue Template to Issue — so you can trigger template creation from any automation rule. This lets you combine the flexibility of automation triggers with the richness of a proper template definition. Details in the Jira Automation templates guide.

Do templates survive when a project is archived?

With Automation rules, the rules are tied to the project and become inaccessible when the project is archived. With the Clone approach, the template issue is archived with the project. With a dedicated app, templates in the global repository are independent of any specific project and remain available even if individual projects are archived.

Related reads in this series​

• Jira Issue Templates in Jira Cloud: Native vs App (2026) — full decision framework for choosing native or app-based templates
• Jira Automation Issue Templates: Epic–Task Workflows — deep dive on the Automation approach with hierarchy patterns
• Default Description Template in Jira Cloud Without Scripts — step-by-step setup for description-only templates via Automation
• Templify vs Jira Template Apps: Feature Comparison — full feature comparison across seven criteria