Updating Issue History/Timeline

[aburnettels]

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Hi everyone,

This is specifically related to issues that are linked to a project and the timeline section of said issue.

My team is looking for a way for the timeline to reflect when fields in the ProjectItemSection-module are changed. When a Label, Type, or Assignee changes, or when the issue is linked to a project, the timeline shows you who performed the action, what was changed, and the date it occurred.

Example

user added Bug on Nov 19, 2025

We're looking for that same functionality when fields in the ProjectsSections-module__FieldList are changed.

Is this possible? Does this already exist?

Screenshot for the more visual folks

Guidelines

• I have read the above statement and can confirm my post is relevant to the GitHub feature areas Issues and/or Projects.

[rafaelxo]

Currently, the GitHub Issue timeline natively tracks core fields (like Labels, Milestones, and Assignees), but it does not automatically sync changes from Project-specific custom fields into the Issue timeline.

Since Custom Fields live at the Project level and not the Issue level, they are handled by different modules in the backend. Here are two ways you can achieve this:

1. GitHub Actions (Automation): You can create a workflow triggered by project_column_id or project_item changes. Use the 'Add Comment' or 'Create Timeline Event' action to post a summary of the change back to the linked Issue whenever a custom field is updated.
2. Webhooks: You can listen for projects_v2_item edited events and programmatically update the Issue description or add a comment to keep a permanent log of who changed what and when.

This is a highly requested feature for better transparency between Projects and Issues, but for now, automation via GitHub Actions is the most reliable workaround.

If this helps solve your problem, please consider marking it as the answer to help other community members find this solution more easily!

[aburnettels]

Thank you for the reply, @rafaelxo. Does what you said here, "highly requested feature", mean this feature has already been requested but has been closed or marked as not planned? Would it be worth me submitting a request for this feature?

Sorry in advance if these questions, or this request has already been brought up. This is literally my first time posting in the Community Discussion.

[rafaelxo]

Hi @aburnettels, welcome to the community! Don't worry at all—this is exactly what this space is for.

To clarify, when I say it is a 'highly requested feature,' it means that many users have expressed the same need, and GitHub is aware of it. It hasn't necessarily been 'rejected' or 'closed,' but since GitHub Projects (V2) is still evolving, some deep integrations (like syncing custom field history to the issue timeline) are still in the backlog.

Should you submit a request? Absolutely. Even if others have asked, GitHub tracks the volume of interest. You can do this by:

1. Opening a new discussion in the GitHub Bookmarks/Feedback category.
2. Upvoting similar discussions if you find them.

The more users report this specific use case, the higher it moves up their priority list. In the meantime, the GitHub Actions workaround I mentioned is your best bet to get that 'audit log' feel inside your issues today.

[P-r-e-m-i-u-m]

GitHub does not natively update the timeline for changes in ProjectsSections-module__FieldList. Timeline events are only triggered for built-in fields like Labels, Assignees, Milestones, and linking/unlinking issues to projects.

To achieve this behavior you have two options:

Use GitHub Actions: Create a workflow that triggers on project_field_change or issues events. When a field in FieldList changes, the action can post a comment on the issue with who made the change, what changed, and the date. This effectively mimics timeline updates.

Use the GitHub API: Poll project fields or subscribe to webhooks. When a field changes, programmatically create an event or comment on the related issue.

Currently, there is no built-in way to make ProjectsSections-module__FieldList changes appear directly in the timeline.