Quick 5-Minute Guide to the Issue in Redmine

I will provide an easy-to-understand explanation of "Issue," the core feature of the open source project management tool "Redmine."

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Issue List
• Issue Details
• Create an Issue
• Update an Issue
• Close an Issue
• Search Issues

Overview

"Issue" is the core featue in Redmine. Tasks that need to be done, like work to complete or bugs to fix, are registered as "issues." An issue can include various information, such as the assignee, start date, due date, description, and so on. Entering the right information helps you quickly understand "who" needs to do "what" and "by when." Issues can be shared among multiple members and addressed collaboratively. Redmine is designed so that instead of one member handling an issue alone, it can be passed to other members who can work on it, with everyone aiming for completion.

Issue List

When clicking "Issues" in the Project menu, a list of issues registered in the project is shown.

In each issue row, the number, subject, status, and so on are presented. When clicking the number or subject, the issue details screen is displayed.

Issue Details

On the issue details screen, various information associated with the issue is displayed.

I will provide an explanation of the main items among the information displayed.

Status

The "Status" represents the transition of the issue. The "Status" starts at "New," and changing it to "Closed" indicates that the task is complete. You can freely add and modify statuses. For example, the three statuses "New," "In Progress," and "Closed" are sufficient to manage tasks effectively.

The "Status" can be synchronized with the progress rate, so you only need to change the status without entering the progress rate.

Priority

You can set a priority for the issue. On the issues list, you can adjust the display based on priority. For example, issues with "High" priority can be displayed with a red background.

Assignee

The "Assignee" may suggest someone who is fully responsible for completing a task, but in Redmine, it simply refers to the person who is currently expected to or able to handle the task. Like passing the ball around in football, we keep moving issues along, aiming for everyone to contribute toward completion.

Start date / Due date

The "Start date" represents the scheduled date to begin the task, and the "Due date" represents the scheduled date to complete it. By setting the start date and due date for tasks, they are displayed on the Gantt chart, making it easier to understand the order in which tasks should be completed.

Create an Issue

Clicking the 'New issue' button on the "Issues" screen will display the create "New issue" screen.

While you don't have to fill in every field, we recommend that you fill in the "Subject" and "Description" with the following points in mind:

• Make the subject easy to understand.
  • The "Subject" is what identifies the issue in the issues list. Please use a clear and concise subject.
  • Good Example: "Error occurs when clicking submit on the new issue screen"
  • Bad Example: "Bug report"
• Be as specific as possible in the description.
  • Include the conditions that must be met to close this issue.
  • Otherwise, you will end up with too many issues that cannot be closed.

Update an Issue

Once you have completed the task or work described in the issue, update the issue by entering the details and results of what you did.

Opening the issue details view and clicking "Edit" to display the edit issue view.

Write the details and results of the work you performed in the "Notes" section, change the status, enter the work time. You have finished entering, click "Submit."

You don't have to complete a issue in a single session. The notes history is displayed by date, allowing you to work incrementally, document your progress, and work towards closing it.

Close an Issue

When the work or task described in the issue is completed, open the edit issue view, change the status to "Closed," and click "Submit."

By default, closed issues will not be displayed on the issues list. Let's aim to complete the visible issues one by one until no issues are left in the list.

Search Issues

When many issues are registered, it becomes difficult to determine which ones need to be addressed. In such cases, search for the issues that you should currently work on.

At the top of the issues list, there is a section labeled "Filter." On the default view, the "Status" filter is displayed, with "open" selected. This means that only issues with an open status are being filtered and displayed.

You can use filters other than "Status." To the right of this section, there is a dropdown menu labeled "Add filter." From this menu, you can select the item you want to use as a filter.

For example, you can filter by "Assignee."

Select "Assignee" from "Add filter," and select "is" and "<>," then click "Apply." This will display only the issues assigned to you.

If you can't find what you're looking for using the filters, try using the "Search" function. Enter words into the search bar in the upper right corner of the screen and press the Enter key to search within the project and display the results.

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