What is a Time Between Dates field?
A Time Between Dates field calculates the elapsed working time between two date or datetime fields on an issue. Unlike Stopwatch and Timer fields (which are event-driven), this field is purely based on date field values.
Common use cases:
- Created to Resolved - how long from issue creation to resolution
- Due Date to Resolved - whether issues are resolved before their due date
- Committed date vs Delivered date - delivery accuracy
- Any two custom date fields - flexible SLA and metric tracking
Creating the field
- Go to Jira Settings > Issues > Custom fields
- Click Create custom field
- Select Time Between Dates from the field type list
- Enter a name (e.g., “Resolution Time”, “Delivery Accuracy”)
- Choose the field context
- Click Create
Field setting reference
Create and manage field settings in the admin panel > Time Between Dates tab.
Date fields
| Setting |
Description |
| Start Field |
The date/datetime field to start calculation from. Can be a system field (e.g., Created) or any custom date field. |
| End Field |
The date/datetime field to end calculation at. Special option: currentDateTime uses the current time as the end date (field recalculates continuously). |
| Use Absolute Value |
When on: always shows positive time (swaps start/end if start > end). When off: can show negative time if end date is before start date. |
General
| Setting |
Description |
| Name |
Unique name for this setting (max 150 characters). |
| Active |
Toggle on/off. |
Calendar
| Setting |
Description |
| Calendar |
Work calendar for time calculation. Default is 24x7. |
| Calendar Field |
Optional Calendar Select field for per-issue override. |
Display
| Setting |
Description |
| Time Format |
How time is displayed. See Time formats. |
| Display Mode |
Visual format (see table below). |
| Use Rounding |
Round time values for calculation. |
| Use Rounding for Display |
Round time values for display only. |
Display modes
| Mode |
Description |
| TIME_SPENT |
Elapsed time (e.g., “2d 4h”) |
| TIME_SPENT_ICON |
Elapsed time with icon |
| ICON_TIME_SPENT |
Icon with elapsed time |
| LEFT_TIME |
Time remaining until goal |
| LEFT_TIME_ICON |
Time remaining with icon |
| ICON_LEFT_TIME |
Icon with time remaining |
| GOAL_TIME |
Goal time value |
| TIME_SPENT_AND_GOAL_TIME |
Elapsed / Goal (e.g., “2d / 5d”) |
| TIME_SPENT_AND_GOAL_TIME_ICON |
Same with icon |
| ICON_TIME_SPENT_AND_GOAL_TIME |
Icon with elapsed / goal |
Restrictions
| Setting |
Description |
| Issue Date Limit |
Only process issues created or updated after this date. |
| JQL Filter |
Additional JQL filter (max 4000 characters, no ORDER BY). |
Binding to a field context
After creating the field and field setting:
- Go to Jira Settings > Issues > Custom fields
- Find your Time Between Dates field > Contexts and default value
- Click on the context and select the field setting
- Run recalculation for existing issues
See Field context configuration for details.
Tips
- currentDateTime as end field: use this to create a continuously updating field that shows “time since Created” or “time since a custom date.”
- Absolute value: enable this when the order of dates is uncertain (e.g., comparing two custom dates where either could be first).
- Calendar matters: without a calendar, all 24 hours count. With a business-hours calendar, weekends and non-working time are excluded.
Time in Status (Forge) for Jira Cloud
