When using Issuetrak, you might recognize a need to have multiple issues linked to each other for various reasons. To that end, Issuetrak offers multiple methods to link issues depending on your needs. Below are a few sample scenarios where you may want to link issues together:
- Linking similar issues together for tracking / reporting.
- Linking an incident to multiple users, departments, or organizations.
- Managing projects to make sure all tasks are completed by their respective teams/departments.
Different methods can also be used to link processes together to assure completion or proper processing of your issues.
Associated Issues User Defined Field
Link multiple issues together and provide links to the other associated issues using the associated issues UDF.
This UDF, once added to an issue form, will allow a user to enter an issue number of another issue into the current issue. Once it is saved, it will provide a list of all of the issues it has been associated with for easy access. The issues that this issue has been associated with will also have the original issue populated in their list of associated issues, automatically providing a link back to the original issue.
Issue association UDFs are displayed in either single or dual columns, depending on the information relevant to the current issue. These are links to issues that are internal to the Issuetrak site you are accessing.
Hyperlink User Defined Field
A hyperlink UDF allows a field to be added to an Issue screen where a full URL can be saved. This URL will then become a link on the issue screen that can be clicked to take the user to the specified URL. If the link is to another page within Issuetrak, then the user will be able to access the page if their permissions allow them to do so. Additionally, the URL does not need to be internal to Issuetrak, but can instead be used to link to a third party application or site.
Global Issues
Global issues allows you to link multiple issues together and work with them as a collective unit. You can also make it easier for different users to report the same issue through this feature.
In a global issue scenario, one issue is promoted to global (parent) status, such as an issue that reveals a problem multiple users may encounter before it is resolved. As similar issues are submitted or identified, they can be linked to that parent issue. As long as this global issue remains open, any permitted users will see it listed in the Global Issues tab of their Issue Hub screen.
Example:
Let's say that you get several issues reporting the same problem affecting multiple users. One option is to update each of those issues separately, adding the same information to each one. An easier option is to promote one of them to a global issue, then link the other issues to it. The linked issues will be automatically updated as you work the global issue, depending on the settings on your site.
Projects
The optional projects feature allows you to define key elements of a project and associate issues to that project. Attachments may also be added to a project, allowing you to retain critical documents independent of issue-specific attachments.
The Project Summary page presents certain users with up-to-the-minute statistics on all open projects in your system.
Want help going over your processes to find out what options for linking issues are best for you?
