Understanding Field Selection in Export to Word (Default)

Author: Carmen Santos
Date: January 8, 2026
Audience: Everyone
Environmental Details: Cloud, Customer Validated Cloud (CVC), Self-hosted (v9.17.x, v9.22.x, v9.28.x).

Summary

When using Export > Export to Word (Default) in Jama, expected fields may be missing or not exported. This article explains how the default Word export determines which fields are included, how export behavior varies depending on the export context (Single Item View vs Set), why exports may appear incomplete, and how to restore the expected behavior.

Solution

Follow these steps to ensure the Export to Word (Default) export includes the expected fields.

1. Verify fields are visible in Item Type views (requires Organization Administrator permissions):

Go to Admin > Item Types
Select the relevant Item Type
Check the Views configuration (see image below for reference).
Ensure the fields you want exported are set as visible in the appropriate views.
Fields not visible in these views will not appear in the default Word export.

2. Check the export context and list view behavior:

Export behavior differs depending on where the export is initiated:
Single Item View exports
- Export the list of fields visible in the Item Type Views (Project List View).
- The output can be modified by updating the columns displayed in the List View prior to export.
Set exports
- Are influenced by the “List View with Mixed Items” configuration.
- Fields selected to display in the List View do not affect the export output.
- The Description field is not exported when it has no content. This is expected behavior but may appear as if the field is missing.

3. Parent and child item behavior:

When exporting a parent item from the Single Item View, child items are included.
In this case, the fields displayed in the UI list view for the set are exported for the child items.
To export a Set from the List View:
- Navigate to the Set you want to export
- Configure the List View columns to include the fields you need
- Open the Set details
- Use Export > Export to Word (Default)

4. Confirm the default Word template is in use

The behavior described above only works with Jama’s "Export to Word Default" template (boilerplate.doc).
If a custom Word template is being used:
- Only the fields explicitly defined in that template will be exported.
- View-based or column-based selection will not apply.

5. Restore the Export to Word Default template (if needed)

If the default Word template was replaced with a custom template, this can break the expected export behavior.
Restore the original Jama "Export to Word Default" template (boilerplate.doc):
Once restored, exports will again respect item type views and selected columns.

6. Consider Excel export for dynamic field selection

Export to Excel always produces a dynamic output based on the fields selected at export time.
If you require flexible, on-the-fly field selection, Excel export may be a better option.

Cause

This issue typically occurs due to one or more of the following:

Required fields are not marked as visible in the item type’s Views configuration.
The default Word export template has been updated or replaced with a custom template.
The export was initiated from different contexts (Single Item View or Set), which can affect the output when using the default template.

Prevention

Keep the "Export to Word Default" template unchanged if you want exports to reflect item type views and UI column selections.
Regularly review item type Views to ensure required fields are marked as visible.
Use Excel export when flexible or dynamic field selection is required.

Additional Resources

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