--- title: "Create issue matrices" canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/IMC/228655244/Create%20issue%20matrices" format: markdown --- > Macro (aura-html) # Create issue matrices After installing the Issue Matrix for Jira Cloud app, you can go to your project’s settings in Jira Cloud and create matrices with configuration options that are set according to your needs. The issue matrices are elements with context, type, and data that are visualized in Jira Cloud issues. You may check the [Configuration options](#Configuration-options) section in this document for more details on each option offered by Issue Matrix.  You can create five different types of issue matrices: - [Sub-task Matrix](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/228491862) - shows the sub-tasks of the current issue. - [Issue Links Matrix](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/228589839) - shows issues linked to the current issue. - [Epic Matrix](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/228459128) - shows the issues linked to the current epic issue. - [JQL Matrix](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/227903219) - shows issues returned by a custom JQL query. - [Similar Matrix](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/324569555) - shows issues similar to the current issue You can create as many issue matrices as you like in different projects or issue types. To achieve it, navigate to your project’s settings in Jira Cloud. Also, you can create an issue matrix and link it with multiple projects. # Visualization in issues After creating an issue matrix with the configuration of your choice, a new panel will be visualized in the project’s issues with the configured data. ![image](media://f0bd52dd-45cb-4954-b625-c7883b2b106a) # Configuration options Each issue matrix configuration consists of the following sections with options: **Context**, **Type**, **Data, **and **Sort By**. You also need to name your matrix and optionally add a description. ## Context The context options allow you to define the projects and the issue types where the particular issue matrix will be visible. You can also customize the issue types where the issue matrix panel is shown. By default, the panel is visible in all issue types. ### **Link issue matrices to projects** You can link a single issue matrix to multiple projects, and it will appear in all of them. Changes to multi-project matrix configurations affect all linked projects. [Learn more about project linking](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/228524436) ### **Select issue types for multi-project matrices** If you have matrices linked to multiple projects, you can choose specific issue types for each project. This way, the matrix panel will only be displayed in the issue types for a given project in the matrix configuration. For example, let's say that you have a matrix linked to projects **A **and **B**. You've selected the issue type *Story* from Project A and *Task* from Project B in the **Context > Issue Types** sub-section. The matrix panel for Project **A **will appear only in *Stories*, while for Project **B **the matrix panel will appear only in *Tasks*. ## Type The options in this section allow you to choose the type of issues that it will contain based on the matrix type. For *Sub-task* and *Epic *matrices, in the **Type > Issue Types** sub-section, you can choose the types of issues that will be displayed in matrix panel. For multi-project matrices, you can select issue types from each project. A linked project’s matrix panel will contain only the issue types selected from that project in the configuration. [Learn more about project linking](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/228524436) Suppose, there is a matrix linked to projects **A **and **B**, and in the **Type > Issue Types** sub-section and you’ve chosen issue type *Bug* from project **A **and *Sub*-*task* from project **B**. The matrix panel for project A will contain only *Bugs*, but project B’s matrix will show only *Sub-tasks*. **Filter JQL** option allows you to enter a JQL query in the configuration to further filter the issues displayed in the matrix panel. ![image](media://e23b4445-cef9-4154-9bca-b038c042a1ed) ## Data ### Columns To create an issue matrix successfully, you have to add **columns**. You can select most custom fields from your Jira Cloud instance and set them as columns in the issue matrix panel, even if the selected issue types don’t use them. Check the list of [custom fields not supported](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/228524404) in Issue Matrix for Jira Cloud. **Name and Header** When you select a custom field, its name will appear under **Name** in the *Columns* section on the matrix configuration page. This name is also used by default for the column header that users see in the issue matrix panel. If you want a different column header, you can set it up under **Header**. **Width** Issue Matrix for Jira Cloud allows you to customize the **width** of each column to achieve better overall visualization and alignment. You can specify the column width in pixels ("px") or as a percentage of the table width ("%"). Examples: 20px, 25%. > ⚠️ **Visualizing long headers/column content** > ⚠️ > ⚠️ A column’s content may be larger than the column width set in the issue matrix configuration (either because of the *header *or the *column *content length, e.g., long words). In that case, the column in the issue matrix panel will be expanded and longer than the specified column width in the configuration. > ⚠️ > ⚠️ **Solution** > ⚠️ > ⚠️ The column width option works best when there is enough space for all the columns and their content. We recommend splitting a large issue matrix into two smaller ones with 4-5 columns each and configuring them to suit your needs. [Learn more](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/227313041) ![image](media://0ecc4df7-27a1-413d-a219-e1de93fb98d1) When choosing a field for a column in the issue matrix panel, the column width is initially set to "Auto." "Auto" stands for automatic sizing, and the column width, in this case, is automatically determined by the browser. If you want to set the customized width of a column back to Auto, delete the contents of the **Width** field. ### Results By default, the issue matrix panel shows all available results. However, you can use the **Results** section to set the maximum number of displayed issues. Which issues are displayed depends on the sorting field you've selected in the **Sort By** section during matrix configuration, or your decision to sort by any column in the issue matrix. If you haven't made a sorting choice, the arrangement of issues in your matrix panel will be handled by Jira's algorithm. For example, if you've chosen to sort by the *Summary* field, set a 50-issue limit for your matrix, and there are 70 issues available, the first 50 will be shown based on their alphabetical order in the *Summary* field. If you haven't chosen a sorting field during matrix configurations, in the issue view, users can directly sort the results by column. If none of that is done, the 50 issues you see will follow Jira's arrangement. > ℹ️ **Similar Matrix type specifics** > ℹ️ Unlike other matrices, the Similar Matrix type requires the specification of a maximum results limit. You can choose to show **up to 20 results**. ### **Categories** Configuring issue categories is an optional step in creating your issue matrix. Issue categories help organize and spot certain issues easily. All Issue Matrix types support categories. [Learn more about Issue Categories](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/IMC/pages/414254052). ![image](media://188b33c4-34b7-42d5-8b09-d1b3ba2177dd) ## Sort by Having issues ordered per your team’s needs is essential for productive work in Jira.  In Issue Matrix, you can set a default order for the issues displayed in an issue matrix panel. Just choose one or more sortable columns in the **Sort By **section of the configuration. Only sortable fields are listed in the configuration. > ⚠️ **Sort By and JQL issue matrices** > ⚠️ > ⚠️ The **Sort By** option isn't available in JQL Matrix configurations. However, the default sort order may be directly specified via ORDER clauses in the JQL entry. For example, you might choose the Summary and Status columns as a default sort order criteria. Then, after saving the issue matrix configuration and opening an issue, you’ll be able to see the issues in the issue matrix ordered accordingly. ![image](media://d3168a03-f2c4-4349-803c-7b17d264e48d) > ⚠️ **Sort By and Filter JQL** > ⚠️ > ⚠️ If you set sorting criteria with the ORDER clause in the **Filter JQL **section, the issue matrix panel visualized in an issue will be empty. > ⚠️ > ⚠️ To sort the data in your *Sub-task*, *Epic *or *Issue Links* matrices, use the **Sort By** option in the configuration.