Reindexing in Jira Server and Data Center after configuring an instance
Platform notice: Server and Data Center only. This article only applies to Atlassian products on the Server and Data Center platforms.
Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.
*Except Fisheye and Crucible
This page is about the cases when your Jira needs and doesn’t need a reindex. As an admin, you’ll be able to make informed decisions on whether to launch the reindex or not. As a result, you’ll reduce the number of triggers for the reindex and remain confident that your instance is healthy and has up-to-date data. Learn more about Jira search index
Let’s check after what configurations on your instance, you should reindex Jira. For more details of major configuration changes that trigger Jira reindex, check Re-indexing after major configuration changes.
What configuration changes trigger the need for reindexing Jira?
The following tables list actions that you can do in your instance and specify whether a reindex is needed after them.
Custom field configurations
Action | Is reindexing needed? |
|---|---|
Add a custom field* | Yes |
Delete a custom field | No
Though a reindex isn’t needed, you can consider it. Reindexing will reduce the index size without affecting the functionality.
|
Change a custom field searcher | Yes |
Edit a custom field configuration* (for example, select applicable issue types or projects) | Yes |
Rename a custom field | No |
Add a custom field to a screen | No |
Remove a custom field from a screen | No |
Change a custom field’s description | No |
Add a custom field option | No |
Delete a custom field option* | Yes |
Edit a custom field option | No |
Set a default value | No |
Change the order of custom field options | No |
Disable a custom field option | No |
Learn more about custom fields and how to configure contexts for them
Field configuration schemes
Action | Is reindexing needed? |
|---|---|
Add a field configuration scheme | No |
Edit a field configuration scheme that is associated with a project* | Yes |
Delete a field configuration scheme | No |
Associate a field configuration scheme with a project | Yes |
Learn more about field configuration schemes
Time tracking configurations
Action | Is reindexing needed? |
|---|---|
Disable time tracking | No |
Enable time tracking* | Yes |
Change time tracking settings | Yes |
Learn more about the time tracking configuration
App configurations
If an app doesn’t introduce custom fields, a reindex isn’t needed. We also recommend that you check if an app vendor provides any information about the reindex and follow the vendor’s guidelines, if available.
The following table of actions is for the case where apps introduce custom fields.
Action | Is reindexing needed? |
|---|---|
Install an app* | Yes |
Remove an app | No |
Disable an app | No |
Enable an app* | Yes |
Disable a module component | No |
Enable a module component | No |
Change an app’s settings | Yes |
Learn more about apps management
What if you don’t reindex Jira after major configuration changes?
When you do something that triggers the need for reindexing Jira, you’ll be notified about it with a pop-up message in the top-right corner of the screen. The content of the message will depend on your action in the instance. For example:
We recommend that you perform a re-index, as configuration changes were made to 'SECTION' by USER at TIME.
If you have other changes to make, complete them first so that you don't perform multiple re-indexes.
The message with the recommendation for reindexing Jira
If you dismiss this popup, you can reindex the instance by following the process described in Re-indexing Jira.
The following table lists the actions marked with an asterisk (*) in the previous tables, where the asterisk indicates that you can decide not to reindex Jira after these actions. Let’s check the cases when you can skip reindexing your Jira and find out what this decision will impact.
Action* | Impact |
|---|---|
Add a custom field* | Without a reindex, you can:
If you use a search query like Only after a reindex, the query |
Delete a custom field option* | Without a reindex:
If you use a search query like |
Edit a custom field configuration (for example, choosing applicable issue types or projects)* | Without a reindex, the search query for the edited custom field ( After a reindex, no issues will be returned. Alternatively, you can reindex only the project that you edited in the custom field context. |
Enable time tracking* | Without a reindex, a search query like After a reindex, these issues will be returned. |
Edit a field configuration scheme that is associated with a project* | Without a reindex, you can create, view and edit issues in the affected project, and it will show the correct field configuration. However, if you had |
Install an app* | Without a reindex, the app-related custom fields will affect only new and updated issues. It might affect the app functionality. Contact the app vendor for more details and recommendations regarding a reindex after installing the app. |
Enable an app* | Without a reindex, the app-related custom fields won’t affect issues that were created while the app was disabled. It might affect the app functionality. Contact the app vendor for more details and recommendations regarding a reindex after enabling the app. |