What's the difference between closing and resolving issues in JIRA?

Hey everyone,

I’m hoping someone can help clear up some confusion in our team. We’re using JIRA for project management, and there’s a debate about whether we should be closing or resolving issues.

As far as I can tell, you can reopen both resolved and closed issues. But I’m wondering if there’s any real difference between the two options. Does it affect reporting or workflow in any significant way?

I know that different permissions might be needed for resolving vs closing, especially if there’s a QA team involved. But beyond that, I’m not sure.

Has anyone got experience with this? Or maybe some official guidelines we could follow? It would be great to have a clear ‘best practice’ to point to when this comes up in discussions.

Thanks in advance for any insights!

hey, as someone who’s used JIRA a ton, here’s my take:

resolving = work done but needs checking
closing = totally finished, no more action needed

using both helps track progress better. but tbh, it depends on ur team’s workflow. some just use ‘closed’ to keep it simple.

really, just pick what works for u and stick to it. consitency is key for good reporting.

As someone who’s used JIRA extensively in various roles, I can shed some light on this. The main difference lies in the workflow and what each status signifies.

Resolving an issue typically means the work is done, but it’s awaiting verification. It’s like saying, ‘I’ve completed this task, but it needs to be checked.’ This is particularly useful in development workflows where code needs review or testing.

Closing an issue, on the other hand, is usually the final step. It signifies that the issue is completely done, verified, and no further action is needed. In many workflows, issues are resolved first, then closed after verification.

From a reporting perspective, having these distinct statuses can be valuable. It allows teams to track how long issues spend in different stages and identify bottlenecks in the verification process.

In practice, I’ve found it beneficial to use both statuses. It provides clearer visibility into the state of work and helps maintain quality control. However, the exact implementation often depends on your team’s specific needs and processes.

Having worked with JIRA across multiple projects, I can offer some practical insights. The distinction between closing and resolving issues often comes down to your team’s workflow and reporting needs.

Resolving an issue generally indicates that the assigned work has been completed, but it may still require review or testing. It’s a way to signal ‘I’ve done my part’ without fully closing the loop.

Closing, conversely, typically means the issue has been fully addressed, reviewed, and no further action is needed. It’s the final step in most workflows.

From a reporting standpoint, using both statuses can provide more granular data on your team’s efficiency and process bottlenecks. However, if your team doesn’t have a formal review process, you might find it simpler to just use the ‘closed’ status.

Ultimately, the best approach depends on your team’s specific needs and how detailed you want your reporting to be. Consistency in usage is key for meaningful metrics.