Documentation for JIRA 4.4. Documentation for other versions of JIRA is available too.

JIRA provides a powerful issue search facility. You can search for issues across projects, versions and components using a range of search criteria. If you need to find issues based on time-tracking details, then the standard 'simple search' interface also allows you to search against the work logged on issues. JIRA also makes custom fields available as search criteria, allowing you to refine your searches even further.

You can also save your search as an issue filter in JIRA, allowing you to recall the same search and run it again or even share it with other users. Read more about issue filters.

Performing a Simple Search

  1. On the top navigation bar, click the 'Issues' tab. This will display information on the issue filter or search you currently have selected, if any, on the left hand side of the page. If you have an issue filter or search currently selected, the results will be displayed in the 'Issue Navigator' on the right hand side of the page. Otherwise, no results will be shown.
  2. If you currently have an issue filter or search selected and wish to run a new search, click the 'New' link on the top left hand side of the page. The search form will display on the left-hand side of the screen.
  3. Type your search term(s) into the 'Query' box (see Specifying a Query below), and/or select other criteria from the drop-down boxes and check-boxes described below. The drop-down boxes and check-boxes allow you to narrow your search, e.g. to issues in a certain project, only issues that are marked as 'critical', only issues marked as 'enhancements', only issues reported by or assigned to a particular person.
  4. Click the 'Search' button to perform the search. Your search results will be displayed in the Issue Navigator.

Screenshot: The 'Simple Search' form

(info) To hide the left-hand column and display your search results in full-screen width, click the icon.
(info) To expand/collapse individual sections of the left-hand column, click the icon.
(tick) While you are interacting with JIRA, your current search will be remembered, along with whether the search you are using is new, a saved search, or a modification of a saved search.

On this page:

In this chapter:

Specifying a Query

You can specify particular text to search for in any or all of the following fields:

  • Summary
  • Description
  • Environment
  • Comments

For details about how to refine your search term, please see Performing Text Searches.

Searching particular Projects or Issue Types

The Project and Issue Type fields determine which other fields are shown in the search form and what options you can see for these fields. For example, the 'Version' and 'Component' fields (see below) will only be available when searching for a single project, and will have different options for each project. When you change the project(s) or issue type(s), you may need to refresh the search filter in order to get the most up-to-date versions, components and custom fields. If a refresh is needed, a blue box will appear, containing a link for you to click:

(tick) If you search on a single project, JIRA will remember that as your selected project and will default to that project on the "Browse Project" and "Create Issue" screens.

Using the 'Components/Versions' section

You can search for issues in a particular:

  • Component
  • Affects Version
  • Fix Version

Screenshot: The 'Components' section

(info) To learn more about components and versions, please see What is a Project?.

Using the 'Issue Attributes' section

You can specify particular values for the following fields:

  • Reporter
  • Assignee
  • Status
  • Resolutions
  • Priorities
  • Labels

For example, to find issues reported by a particular person, select 'Specify User' in the 'Reporter' field. In the field that appears beneath, type a few letters of the person's name (first name or surname) to display a drop-down list of matching names:

Alternatively, click the icon to display a pop-up list of all names on your JIRA system.

(info) Please note: if the names drop-down does not display, your administrator may have disabled the 'User Picker Auto-complete' feature for your JIRA instance.

Screenshot: The 'Issue Attributes' section

Using the 'Dates and Times' section

You can search for issues that were:

  • Created after or before a particular date, or during a particular date range
  • Updated after or before a particular date, or during a particular date range
  • Resolved after or before a particular date, or during a particular date range
  • Due after or before a particular date, or during a particular date range

Screenshot: The 'Dates and Times' section

Using the 'Work Ratio' section

The search form contains a 'Work Ratio' section, enabling you to search JIRA issues based on time-tracking details.

The 'Work Ratio' search is based on the Actual work logged against an issue versus the original Estimated work duration.

  • Work Ratio Percentage = (Time Spent / Original Estimate) x 100

You can enter a minimum, maximum or percentage range; the search will respectively return all issues above, below or within the specified percentage range.

Screenshot: The 'Work Ratio' section

Using the 'Custom Fields' section

Your administrator may have created custom fields for your JIRA system. Custom fields can be searched, but note that they will only appear in the search form on the left when appropriate. That is:

  • Custom fields that relate to a particular project will only appear in the search form after you choose that project.
  • Custom fields that relate to a particular issue type will only appear in the search form after you choose that issue type.



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