A simpler way to manage fields across Jira

Your Jira instance doesn't stay clean on its own. Fields pile up. Projects drift. And somewhere between field configurations, field configuration schemes, and project assignments, a simple change turns into a three-page scavenger hunt. One wrong move and you've changed something in a space you weren't even thinking about.

It shouldn't be this hard. Field Schemes replaces the old multi-layered configuration model with one clear, direct way to control which fields appear where. Less overhead. Cleaner spaces. More confidence in every change you make.

How it works

Today, fields are assigned to Field configurations, which are then grouped into Field configuration schemes to define which fields appear in each space. We know this layered structure makes even simple changes harder than they should be. We're bringing these two concepts together into one streamlined experience called Field schemes — giving admins a clearer, more powerful way to keep Jira fields organized and consistent across spaces. For admins, this means:

1. Simpler administration: Managing fields used to mean navigating three separate layers — field configurations, field configuration schemes, and space assignments — just to make a single change. With Field Schemes, that chain collapses into one. You make a change in one place, and you're done. No cross-referencing, no second-guessing, no wondering which layer you forgot to update.

2. Cleaner instances at scale: In the old model, every new custom field automatically appeared across your entire instance — whether it was relevant or not. Over time, that means projects filled with fields nobody asked for and nobody uses. Field Schemes flips the default: new fields only appear where you explicitly add them. Your instance stays clean as you grow, not because someone's constantly doing cleanup, but because the system is designed to stay tidy from the start.

3. Confidence in every change: One of the most frustrating things about the old model was that a change to a shared field configuration could ripple into projects you weren't thinking about. Field Schemes are independent — each one only affects the spaces it's assigned to. Before you make a change, you can see exactly which spaces are impacted. After you make it, you know nothing else moved. That's the kind of clarity that makes admins actually trust their own instance.

4. Consistency without duplication: When every new project required rebuilding field configurations from scratch, consistency was aspirational at best. Field Schemes lets you define your best-practice setup once — the right fields, the right requirements, the right descriptions — and apply it across as many spaces as you need. Engineering, Marketing, and Support can all start from the same trusted foundation, or each get their own tailored scheme, without anyone duplicating work.

How to get started

Field Schemes will be automatically enabled for your site — no action is required from admins. Your existing field configurations will be automatically migrated to the new model, preserving all your current settings (availability, required status, custom descriptions).

Once enabled:

1. Find Field Schemes — Go to Jira Settings → Work items → Fields → Field Schemes

2. Review your migrated schemes — Your existing configurations have been converted into field schemes, keeping all current behavior intact

3. Make changes with confidence — Add or remove fields from a scheme, adjust required/optional settings per work type, and apply schemes to spaces — all from a single page

Configuration notes

• The migration preserves your existing field visibility behavior — no fields will suddenly appear or disappear

• Field contexts still control default values and dropdown options; they just no longer control field visibility

• Legacy field configuration pages will be hidden once your site is fully converted

• A limit of 700 fields applies per scheme

Learn more

Read the Migration Guide

See demos of all summer releases

FAQs