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Using the Checklist Editor

The editor allows you to quickly make changes to multiple items at once. It is also a convenient way to add rich formatting to checklist items using Markdown.

Editor vs. Checklist Text Custom Field

The Editor and the Checklist Text field function similarly with important difference.

If the Enable multiple checklists per issue global setting is enabled then an issue can have more than one checklist. The Checklist Text field will hold the content of all the checklists on the issue. Therefore, the formatting of the Checklist Text field contains the name of the checklist.

In contrast, the checklist editor is associate with an individual checklist on the issue, and does not show the name of the checklist.

Opening the Editor

To open the checklist editor, click the pencil button located in the top-right corner of the Checklist panel. The contents will reflect the checklist.

Copying / Pasting Checklist

The Editor allows you to instantly create a checklist from a bullet list in an external sources (Word, Trello, OSX Notes, web page, etc.). Simply copy the list to the clipboard, open the Editor and paste.

You can also paste in plain text and format it using the instructions below.

Delete Multiple Items

You can quickly delete multiple items, or all items in a checklist, by opening the editor, selecting all items, then deleting.

Formatting in the Editor

Saving the editor's content overwrites the entire checklist for the given issue. Any changes made in other tabs will be lost.

Editor Toolbar

Checklist items can be formatted using the Editor Toolbar or by using the text formatting described below. Functions available via the toolbar include:

  • Bold text

  • Italic text

  • Strikethrough text

  • Inline code

  • Links

  • Toggle item complete

  • Make item optional/mandatory

  • Create description

  • Create header/separator

  • Mention user

  • Insert date

  • Insert emoji

Checklist Formatting

Checklist Items

A checklist item line can start directly with item text or Markdown characters like the including:

* - + []

CODE 
checklist item
[] checklist item
* checklist item
* [] checklist item
- checklist item
- [] checklist item

Checked Items

Checked items are indicated by [x]

CODE 
[x] checklist item
* [x] checklist item
- [x] checklist item

Statuses

Statuses are written in square brackets

CODE 
[] Open item
[open] Another open item
[in progress] Item with status 'in progress' which is still unchecked 
[done] Completed/checked item with status 'done'
[skipped] Completed/checked item with status 'skipped'

Optional Items

A question mark ? is used to mark items as optional

CODE 
? checklist item
[]? checklist item
*? checklist item
* []? checklist item
-? checklist item
- []? checklist item

Item Descriptions

Descriptions are indicated by double arrows >>

CODE 
[] Unchecked checklist item with description
>> Description text can be long and multiline. 
>> It can contain links, mentions, dates, and other formatting elements. 
[x] Checked item without description

Headers / Separators

You can use Headers to organize long checklists. Headers are proceeded by three dashes ---

CODE 
--- Acceptance Criteria Header
- checklist item 1
- checklist item 2 with **bold** text
- checklist item 3 with link to an issue IC-245

Headers must include text. Three dashes that are not followed by text will not be saved/rendered on the checklist UI.

Special Elements

Dates

Dates can be included in multiple formats.

Type  // (double slash) to open a calendar picker.

CODE 
[] Due on 2022-05-18
[] Due on 2022/05/18
[] Due on 18-05-2022
[] Due on 18/05/2022

Emojis

Type a colon : to open the emoji menu

CODE 
* [open] Smile 😀

Issue Keys

To reference another issue, type the issue key

CODE 
* [open] See the comment on CSP-61

URLs

URLs can be added in and will be rendered as clickable links

CODE 
* [open] https://marketplace.atlassian.com
* [open] marketplace.atlassian.com

User Mentions

Typing an @ will open a user picker

CODE 
* [open] Task one @JenniferChoban

Text Formatting

Formatting

Bold

To bold text, add two asterisks, or two underscore characters before and after the word or phrase

CODE 
This is **bold text**
This is __bold text__

Italics

To italicize text, add one asterisk or underscore character before and after a word or phrase

CODE 
This is in *italics*
This is in _italics_

Strikethrough

To strikethrough text, add two tilde characters before and after a word or phrase

CODE 
This text is ~~wrong~~

Inline Code

To style text as inline code, add back-tick characters before and after a word or phrase

CODE 
This will be shown as `inline code`

Add a URL directly into the text, or enclose the link text in brackets and follow it immediately with the URL in parentheses

CODE 
Contact us at https://www.herocoders.com/contact
[Contact us](https://www.herocoders.com/contact)

Emails

Add the email address directly into text, or enclose the link text in brackets follow it immediately with a mailto data (you can specify email subject too)

CODE 
Contact us at support@herocoders.com.
[Contact us](mailto:support@herocoders.com?subject=Issue Checklist questions&body=Email body text)

Escaping Markdown

To display Markdown formatting characters, use the backslash \ character like demonstrated below

Markdown text

Rendered output

Escaped \_italic\_ formatting

Escaped _italic_ formatting

Escaped \_italic_ formatting

Escaped _italic_ formatting

Escaped \**bold\** formatting

Escaped **bold** formatting

Escaped \**bold** formatting

Escaped **bold** formatting

Escaped \*\*bold\*\* formatting

Escaped **bold** formatting

Escaped \**bold\\** formatting containing backslash

Escaped **bold\** formatting containing backslash

Escaped \`inline code\` formatting

Escaped `inline code` formatting

Escaped back-tick \` character

Escaped back-tick ` character

Standard text with \ backslash

Standard text with \ backslash

\[In the target instance]

[In the target instance]

Note that in the Rendered output column:

  • Formatting is not applied due to backslash \ usage 

  • The backslash \ is not displayed when it is used to escape Markdown

  • Double backslashes are used to display a single backslash inside a Markdown formatted phrase

  • The backslash behaves like a normal character when used outside Markdown formatted phrase

Issue Checklist uses square brackets to represent the state of an item in the text format. Therefore, when you include square brackets at the beginning of a checklist item they are removed. To show brackets in your checklist item, use the \ character prior to the opening bracket.

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