Breadcrumbs

RAG - status traffic light

📚

Return a traffic light based on the status category of the status the current work item is in.

🔴⚪️⚪️ - the work item is in the “To Do” status category

⚪️🟡⚪️ - the work item is in the “In Progress” status category

⚪️⚪️🟢 - the work item is in the “Done” status category

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Configuration

Select Custom text formula in the template gallery after clicking Create formula field.

Choose General in the parsing mode dropdown. Click here for additional information.

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Expression 

%{%{issue.status.category} = "To Do" ? "🔴⚪️⚪️" : 
( %{issue.status.category} = "In Progress" ? "⚪️🟡⚪️" : 
( %{issue.status.category} = "Done" ? "⚪️⚪️🟢" : 
"⚪️⚪️⚪️" ))}

Instead of status category you can insert any field you want using the Add field picker.

Details

1. What does the expression do?

This expression displays a traffic light symbol (red, amber, or green) based on the status category of the current work item. It visually indicates whether a work item is in the "To Do", "In Progress", or "Done" category.

2. Step-by-step breakdown

Here is the expression:

%{%{issue.status.category} = "To Do" ? "🔴⚪️⚪️" : 
( %{issue.status.category} = "In Progress" ? "⚪️🟡⚪️" : 
( %{issue.status.category} = "Done" ? "⚪️⚪️🟢" : 
"⚪️⚪️⚪️" ))}

  • %{...}: This syntax is used to interpret the elements within as an advanced expression.

  • %{issue.status.category}: This retrieves the status category of the status of the current work item (e.g., "To Do", "In Progress", or "Done").

  • %{issue.status.category} = "To Do" ? "🔴⚪️⚪️" : ( ... ): Checks if the status category is "To Do". If it is, it shows a red light. If not, it moves to the next condition.

  • %{issue.status.category} = "In Progress" ? "⚪️🟡⚪️" : ( ... ): Checks if the status category is "In Progress". If it is, it shows a yellow (amber) light. If not, it checks the next condition.

  • %{issue.status.category} = "Done" ? "⚪️⚪️🟢" : "⚪️⚪️⚪️": Checks if the status category is "Done". If it is, it shows a green light. If not, it shows all lights as off (white).

3. Examples

  • If a work item’s status category is "To Do", the result will be: 🔴⚪️⚪️

  • If it is "In Progress", the result will be: ⚪️🟡⚪️

  • If it is "Done", the result will be: ⚪️⚪️🟢

  • If the status category is something else or missing, the result will be: ⚪️⚪️⚪️

4. Real-life use cases

  • Dashboards: Quickly see the progress of multiple work items at a glance using traffic light colors.

  • Reports: Add visual indicators to status reports for stakeholders, making it easy to spot items that are not started, in progress, or completed.

  • Team boards: Help team members prioritize work by highlighting which items are still to be started (red), in progress (yellow), or finished (green).