Can I use the JQL IN operator without sorting, to preserve the "originally listed" order?

[Midori]

I'd like to be sure that a JQL query like this preserves the order in its output:

key in (WEB-110,WEB-111,CARCH-20,WEB-112,JPDF-5,WEB-113)

So the expected output would be the issues in this order: 

WEB-110,WEB-111,CARCH-20,WEB-112,JPDF-5,WEB-113

Instead, we receive them in this order:

WEB-113,WEB-112,WEB-111,WEB-110,JPDF-5,CARCH-20

(So it looks that JIRA returns them in some default "project desc, key desc" order?!)

Is this possible to tell JIRA not to resort the result?

[Ignacio Pulgar]

The only way I know to change the order of the retrieved results would be through the ORDER BY keyword.

If the order you wish to get doesn't match any other more appropriate field (ie: created, updated, resolved...), then you can follow this quick approach:

1. Edit each issue to assign the order number -in which that specific issue should be shown- to the field "labels".
   In WEB-110, add a new label named named '100', add '200' to WEB-111, and so on up to WEB-113 '600'.
   These numbers are treated as strings of text, so mind that the order is alphabetical.
   We are using 3 digit names for the labels so that you can add another issue in between them afterwards without modifying any labels. 

2. Execute the JQL:

   key IN (WEB-110,WEB-111,CARCH-20,WEB-112,JPDF-5,WEB-113) ORDER BY labels

Note that this workaround will fail if those issues have any other labels besides the one containing its order number.

There's a more elegant approach, involving the creation of a numeric custom field.

[Midori]

Thank, Volodymyr. Unfortunately, in this scenario I don't have the rights the control to add custom fields, so I can't use this workaround.

[Midori]

Sorry, I copied over the answer from the other answer. I meant "Thanks, Ignacio", of course.

[Ignacio Pulgar]

Have you tried the labels approach?

[Midori]

Unfortunately, I cannot modify the issues at all, so this wasn't a solution. (It seems that we may even re-sort the result set in our own code...)

[Ignacio Pulgar]

If you interact with JIRA programmatically, then you should sort the result set within your code, which is even a better approach than both of my 'workarounds' using just JIRA.

[Midori]

Yep, that's we have concluded, too. Thanks!

[Volodymyr Krupach]

Why do not you sort them by adding "order by". If order based on standard fields does not suit you can add custom number field "Order" and set values for it 1,2,3,4...

[Midori]

Thank, Volodymyr. Unfortunately, in this scenario I don't have the rights the control to add custom fields, so I can't use this workaround.