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Display formats

The display format feature allows you to select between some numeric and duration formatting styles for a higher customization of your displayed value.

The specified format will be used to display or present the result of your calculation. Internally the field value is always stored as a number, even for durations, where the number will be later interpreted as a number of milliseconds

Currently, display formats can only be set for Custom smart number fields or in the expert mode for Templates returning a number.

When no option is selected, the default format is automatically set to unformatted.


Update/set via the field overview page

The most common way to update/set a display format is by accessing the configuration of the field you want to update via the field overview page. Also see Manage existing smart fields / Field overview.

  1. Click on Edit (pencil icon) next to the smart field you want to update

  2. If you are using one of the built-in Templates you might have to switch to Expert Mode

  3. Choose to display the result as a number (with various additional formatting options) or a duration (e.g. time since creation = 2w 3d)

  4. Choose a predefined number format or use a custom pattern to e.g. add a suffix (miles, kg…🔥)

  5. Save the configuration


Navigate to the standard Jira field configuration

Alternative (Jira standard)

  1. Navigate to the custom field configuration page. 

  2. Find your Smart field and click on  ... → Context and default value → Edit custom field config

  3. Select or define the desired output format. 

Display as (Number vs. Duration)

You can choose whether you want to display the returned value as a number or in a predefined duration format. Each selected option will then let you choose an additional formatting style (the way the value is finally displayed in a work item).

Formatting styles

🔢 Number

If your smart field is being used to store a simple number (e.g. a dollar quantity), you have the following formatting options. Choose a valid format and freely use additional characters to indicate the entities (e.g. currencies, weights etc.)

You can even use emojis like 💵 💶 ⭐️ when selecting a custom format!

Formatting style

Example field value

Displayed value

Description

Default (unformatted)

123456.789

123456.789

The value will be returned as stored.

Custom format



Be creative and combine a number format with suffixes or prefixes.

###,###.###

123456.789

123,456.789

Each pound sign (#) denotes a digit, the comma is a placeholder for the thousands separator, and the period is a placeholder for the decimal separator.

###.##

123456.789

123456.79

The value has three digits to the right of the decimal point, but the pattern has only two. The last digit will be rounded up.

000000.000

123.78

000123.780

The pattern specifies leading and trailing zeros, because the 0 character is used instead of the pound sign (#).

$###,###.###

12345.67

$12,345.67

The dollar sign $ will be shown as a prefix. 

###,###.### EUR

12345.67

12,345.67 EUR

The currency symbol EUR will be shown as a suffix. 


Custom pattern

Upon selecting “Custom format” you have the option to create your own pattern following the same principles as in the above options.

Custom pattern examples

Input

Output

Tips

###.## %

99.9

99.9 %

Periods “.” can be used to separate units from decimal numbers.

##,##,##.#

123456.78

12,34,56.8

Commas “,” can be used to form patterns to improve readability by separating hundreds from thousands or in any other position before the period.

⭐️#⭐️

5

⭐️5⭐️

Emoji-friendly prefixes and suffixes can be added after the numeric pattern has been formed.

###.##🔥

6579.867

6579.87🔥

Hashes “#” serve merely as placeholders for numbers before the period.

After the period they will represent the maximum number of decimals that can be displayed before rounding the next decimal number.

000.000

11,2

011.200

Zeroes “0” serve the same functions as hashes, but they also append and suffix the number with zeros according to the number of zeroes that the pattern contains if the original value is not large enough or if it does not contain enough decimal numbers.


⏲️ Duration

If your smart field is being used to store a duration (e.g. days/hours between the current date-time and the due date), you will have the following formatting styles available:

Duration display format

Make sure to enter a number that represents a quantity of milliseconds. Otherwise, an incorrect duration will be shown after the conversion. When working with Jira date fields (e.g. difference of current date and due date, the result will automatically be returned in the correct format).

The conversion can be previewed in the Preview area during the smart number field configuration.

Formatting style

Example field value

Displayed value

Short

3600000000

5w 6d 16h

Long

3600000000

5 weeks, 6 days, 16 hours