Using widgets | Colined Help Center

This article explains how to preview report sections directly in the Work item view by using the following widgets, within Jira Cloud:

Work Item Tree widget
Work Item Progress widget

It also explains how to create a report with these widgets and describes the benefits they offer compared with the default Work item view features.

For configuration examples, refer to the related article.

Why should you use widgets?

Widgets become available after the app is installed in your Jira Cloud instance.

Display the hierarchy without leaving the Work item view

Widgets give you a complete view of the work item hierarchy, unlike Jira’s default Work item View—especially for container work items like Epics.

Jira’s table of child-level items shows only part of the hierarchy, leaving out sub-tasks.

In addition to showing the full hierarchy, the Work Item Tree widget can be configured to display how each item contributes to the overall work.

This contribution can appear as numeric time-tracking values or as visual progress indicators—information that is not available in the default Work item view.

Measure how each work item contributes to your Space goals

Widgets provide a complete view of progress indicators.

Jira’s table of child-level items is limited to showing a completion rate based on status for only it’s child items, excluding sub-tasks.

The Work Item Progress widget can display the completion rate and other progress indicators for all work items in the hierarchy, including sub-tasks.

Preview a report before creating it

Widgets give you the means to preview report contents (e.g. the Summary sections for the Progress and Work item Structure tabs) directly from the Work item view.

Features and use cases

Configure Widgets appearance per Work type and per Space

Jira admins and Space admins can configure widgets by:

Clicking Configure in the Work item Tree widget.
Clicking Configure in the Work item Progress widget.

The Configure link opens the Pivot Report Space Settings page, where you can adjust contents and permissions for either widget in the space, as explained in a related article.

For example, you can change:

Whether to extend child, parent, and sibling items, based on the Work type where the widget is added.
Which Jira or Colined field columns to display, based on the Work type where the widget is added.
Whether to include estimates for all work items or only leaf work items, based on the Work type where the widget is added.
Which progress indicators to display, based on the Work type where the widget is added.

Display widgets in the Work item View pop-up

Any logged-in Jira Cloud user with access to both the app and the related space can view and use widgets in a Work item view pop-up within a report, as shown in the screenshot below.

This allows you to analyze a work item in a pop-up using widgets without changing the report hierarchy, columns, or progress indicators.

For example, a report may display the Completion Rate for all work items. Without adding a new column, you can open the pop-up to view the Completion Rate for a specific work item and its child items.

How can you use widgets to create a report?

Any logged-in Jira user with access to both the app and the target space can display and use widgets to create reports using the following steps.

Open a work item in the space and click the App actions menu in the Work item view.
From the dropdown, select the widgets you want to display. The order you select them does not affect their display order.
In either widget, click the Open Pivot Report link to generate a report. The report’s contents depend on the widget’s configuration.

FAQ

Can you hide widgets on a work item?

Yes. Any logged-in Jira user with access to both the app and the target space can hide a widget by following these steps:

Click the actions (•••) menu for the widget you want to hide.
Select Hide.

If you display a widget for a work item, another user with the same permissions can hide it. You will then need to display it again.

Can you prevent users from creating reports using widgets?

Yes. You can prevent users from creating reports with widgets in the Work item view by:

Removing the visibility of widgets. To disable or restore them, follow the steps in the related article.
Removing the user’s access to the app entirely. To revoke or restore access, follow the steps described in the separate article.

Can you modify the default widget fields and columns?

Yes. You can modify the default fields and columns displayed in widgets—for all spaces that do not use an override—by following the steps in the related article.

To override the default widget fields for a space, refer to the separate article.

What is the report's name and description when using this method?

By default, when you create a report using the button in the Work item View:

Report name – Matches the work item’s Summary where the widget is used. Until saved, the name remains a hyperlink to the work item.
Description – Shows whether Parent, Sibling, and Child items are included, based on the widget’s configuration.
- Reports from the Work item Tree widget include Parent, Sibling, and Child items related to the source work item.
- Reports from the Work item Progress widget include Child items related to the source work item.
Tabs included – Only the Work item Structure tab is included.

To rename the report, update its description, adjust its scope (e.g. remove Parent or Sibling work items), or add more tabs, first save the report, then use the Sidebar to make changes.

Troubleshooting

Why is the widget not appearing or can it be disabled?

Yes. Widgets can be disabled for specific work types or turned off for all work types within a space.

If they are missing from the Work item View, check if they are disabled by following the steps in a related article.

If you have questions or need assistance, contact our support team via email or service desk. Our team is available Monday through Friday (9:00 AM to 7:00 PM GMT+7) to help with technical challenges or discuss improvements.