User Problem

In the new issue view, empty non-editable fields behave inconsistently and their visibility cannot be configured.

Previously, when additional fields were surfaced via slide-in panels, empty non-editable fields still appeared inside those panels. After Tabs were moved to the left, empty non-editable fields are now hidden from Tabs, in line with how empty non-editable fields are also hidden on the right-hand side (RHS).

However:

• Some fields benefit from the "hide when empty" behaviour (to reduce clutter).
• Other fields are expected to be visible even when empty (so users/admins can see what fields exist and which values are currently missing).
• There is no configuration that allows administrators to choose whether empty non-editable fields should be shown or hidden in Tabs and other regions of the issue view.
• As per the issue layout documentation at
    https://<site>.atlassian.net/plugins/servlet/project-config/<>project/issuelayout,
    admins expect the View screen / issue layout configuration to determine what fields are visible in the new issue view, but they currently have no control over this specific "hide empty non-editable" behaviour.

This leads to:

• Confusion for users, who don't know which fields exist on an issue when those fields are empty and therefore hidden.
• Inconsistent experiences between different fields.
• Difficulty for admins who want a consistent layout where either:
    (a) all empty non-editable fields appear and can be hidden by using hide when empty configured, or  
    (b) all empty non-editable fields are hidden in a predictable way.

There is also mixed feedback from customers in JRACLOUD-76046:  

• Some want empty fields hidden because showing a field with no value feels unnecessary.  
• Others rely on seeing the field to understand what information can be captured, even if it is not yet populated.  

  Suggested Solutions

• Provide a configuration option at project and/or field level to control visibility of empty non-editable fields in the new issue view, for example:
    * "Show empty non-editable fields" vs "Hide empty non-editable fields", applied consistently across:
      – Tabs  
      – RHS  
      – Other sections of the issue view
• Alternatively, extend the existing "Hide when empty" behaviour so that it:
    * Is available for all relevant fields (not just some), and
    * Applies consistently inside Tabs as well as other regions of the issue view.
• Clearly document how issue layout, screen configuration, and any "hide empty" logic interact, so admins can reliably predict which configured fields will be visible in the new issue view.

The goal is to:

• Make the "hide empty non-editable" behaviour consistent across the UI; and