What Is The Relation between Status And resolution

[Alex Medved _ConfiForms_ · Accepted solution]

Hi,

there is a good documentation about it: 

https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/JIRA/Defining+Resolution+Field+Values

Resolutions are the ways in which an issue can be closed. 

https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/JIRA/Defining+Status+Field+Values

Statuses are used to represent the position of the issue in its workflow.

Hope this helps...

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Technically, there is no relationship between status and resolution.

In the real world, you do usually want to have a logical link - the usual rule is like "when an issue is in status 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, we want the issue to be unresolved (empty resolution), and when an issue is in status 6 or 7, it should be resolved (something in the resolution field)"

To get the real-world requirements done, you need to consider them alongside each other as you build up your workflows.   Essentially, remember to set the resolution as you go into a "closed" status (with screen or post-function) and clear it when you move from "closed" to "open"

Sash has already given you the links that explain the resolution field and the status display (it's not really a field, I try to avoid calling it a field), and the way to link them in the workflow. 

[Matthew Russell]

There _is_ a link between status and resolution, because the only way to change the resolution, is to change the status.

Further, issues that are open, but marked with a resolution confuse many UIs.

And issues that are in a closed status, but marked unresolved confuse many UIs.

It seems to me that the 2 concepts should be merged into a single concept, or thoroughly linked, to avoid issues getting into the 2 bad states.

[nando]

What I can't find in the linked documentation is 

the way to link them in the workflow.

Will update here if I can find more info.

[nando]

The way to link them is to use a post function in the workflow transition. Very manual for user-created workflows but the ones provided by Jira have these already (those I've checked).

Documentation on the topic: https://confluence.atlassian.com/adminjiracloud/advanced-workflow-configuration-776636620.html

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

You don't.  I'm afraid Matthew's comment is functionally incorrect (although he's absolutely spot on about merging the two concepts).   There is no technical link between them, you have to configure one.

Essentially, remember to set the resolution as you go into a "closed" status (with screen or post-function) and clear it when you move from "closed" to "open"

[Andreas Borkenhagen]

I would definitely not merge those two concepts. One is the the status that is mapped to the workflow, to boards/columns etc. and the resolution is the reason why it is in this closed status.

There are 3 categories for status, open/new, in progress, and done/closed. IMHO having a resolution should be a must have in status belonging to the done/closed category, either by having a post function or a mandatory field in a screen. Even more important: The other way round - a resolution should be cleared automatically when switching to any other status that is not in the done/closed categry, it shouldn't be necessary to implement such behaviour yourself.