I need help with cleaning up our JIRA configuration. A while back, I added a custom status called “COMPLETED” to our workflow alongside the default ones like “Open”, “In Development”, and “Closed”. We ended up not using this custom status at all. All the tickets that had this status were moved back to “Closed” instead. Now I want to completely remove the “COMPLETED” status option so it doesn’t show up in our workflow anymore and team members can’t select it by mistake. Is there a way to permanently delete this custom status from the JIRA system? I want to make sure it also gets removed from any search filters or JQL queries where it might appear.
One thing to watch out for is checking your workflow screen schemes as well. Sometimes custom statuses get embedded in transition screens and can cause issues even after you think you’ve removed them from the workflow itself. I learned this the hard way when I thought I had cleaned everything up but users kept getting errors during certain transitions. Also worth mentioning that if you have any automation rules or post functions that reference the COMPLETED status, those will need updating too otherwise they’ll start throwing errors. The JQL cleanup usually happens automatically within a few hours of deletion, but I’ve seen cases where old saved filters still reference the removed status and confuse users.
To delete the custom status in JIRA, you’ll need to go through the JIRA Administration settings. Start by confirming that no issues are associated with the ‘COMPLETED’ status, which it seems you’ve already done. Next, navigate to Administration > Issues > Statuses to locate the custom status. Before deletion, ensure to remove any workflows that reference this status. Check the Workflows section, edit the applicable workflow scheme, and eliminate any transitions connected to ‘COMPLETED’. Once all connections are cleared, return to the Statuses page to permanently delete it. Remember, JIRA will not permit the deletion of a status still in use, so be vigilant in checking your workflows. The status will then disappear from filters and JQL suggestions shortly after.
yeah i had similar issue before. make sure to check workflow transitions first - sometimes the status gets stuck there even if no tickets use it. also dont forget to republish your workflow scheme after removing it or team might still see the old version cached.