KjerrA bug report template
you can copy.
A good bug report template gets a developer from reading to reproducing in one pass: what happened, what was expected, the steps, and where. Copy the template below into a doc, a form or an issue tracker, or set up the same fields on a board that takes the files too.
The bug report template
Seven prompts. Require the title and the steps; leave the rest optional.
Title
What is broken, and where. One line.
Example: Export to CSV downloads an empty file
What happened?
What you saw, in a sentence or two.
What did you expect?
What should have happened instead.
Steps to reproduce
1.
2.
3.
How often?
Every time, sometimes, or once.
Where?
Browser or app version, operating system, account or workspace.
Anything to show?
A screenshot, a screen recording, a log, a HAR file.
A bug report example
The same template, filled in. The product and the numbers are made up.
Title
Export to CSV downloads an empty file
What happened?
I clicked Export on the Reports page. A file downloaded,
but it only has the header row.
What did you expect?
The 214 rows shown in the table on screen.
Steps to reproduce
1. Open Reports and choose the last 30 days.
2. Filter by the plan "Scale".
3. Click Export, then CSV.
How often?
Every time with the filter on. Without it the export is fine.
Where?
Chrome 141 on macOS 15. Workspace: northwind.
Anything to show?
export.csv (the empty file), reports.har
Why each field is there
- Title. What is broken and where, so the report can be found again and duplicates can meet.
- What happened? The symptom in the reporter's words, before anyone interprets it.
- What did you expect? Half of all reports are a misunderstanding, and this line shows which half.
- Steps to reproduce. The part a developer cannot guess. Numbered, one action each.
- How often? Every time points to logic; sometimes points to timing or data.
- Where? Browser, version and account narrow the search more than any description.
- Anything to show? A recording or a log replaces three paragraphs.
Turning the template into a bug report form
A bug report form should ask for less than the template. Every required field loses some reports, and a missing report costs more than a missing detail.
- Require the title and the steps to reproduce, nothing else.
- Put an example in each field's placeholder, so people see the level of detail you want.
- Show similar reports before the form is submitted, so people can add a vote and not a duplicate.
- Let people attach files by dropping them on the form.
- Say what happens next: where the report appears and how they will hear back.
What to attach to a bug report
Evidence shortens the conversation. These are the files worth asking for, and what each one settles.
- A screenshot, for anything visual.
- A screen recording as MP4, when the steps are hard to put into words.
- A HAR file, when a page fails to load, save or export.
- A console or server log as TXT or LOG.
- The email itself as EML, for delivery and formatting problems.
- The CSV, XLSX or JSON file that would not import, or the one that came out wrong.
Collecting bug reports on a Kjerr board
A Kjerr board can ask the template's questions and hold the evidence. The feedback tracker behind it shows the team what is new.
- The form is editable: add Steps to reproduce, Expected and Where as fields of your own, up to 10 fields in all, each required or optional with its own placeholder.
- Up to 5 files of 10 MB on a report or a comment: images, PDF, EML, TXT, LOG, CSV, JSON, HAR, ZIP, DOCX, XLSX, PPTX and MP4.
- Similar reports appear while the title is typed, each with a vote button.
- For a QA board, make it members-only and limit sign-in to your company's email domain, the same setup as a digital suggestion box.
- When the status changes to Shipped, the reporter and everyone who voted get an email.
- It is not an issue tracker: no assignees, severity levels or sprints.
Questions, answered plainly.
What is a bug report template?
A bug report template is a fixed set of prompts that gets the same facts out of every report: what happened, what was expected, the steps to reproduce it and where it occurred. It lets a developer go from reading to reproducing without a round of questions.
What should a bug report include?
A one-line title, what happened, what was expected, numbered steps to reproduce, how often it happens, the environment, and evidence such as a screenshot or a log. If only two things can be required, make them the title and the steps.
What is the difference between a bug report and a feature request?
A bug report says the product does not do what it promises. A feature request asks for something it never promised. They need different prompts; for the second, use the feature request template.
How do I write good steps to reproduce?
Start from a state anyone can reach, write one action per line, and include the exact values you typed or picked. Stop at the step where the problem appears. If a step is sometimes needed and sometimes not, say so.
What is a HAR file, and should I attach one?
A HAR file is a recording of the requests a web page made, saved from the browser's developer tools. Attach one when a page fails to load, save or export. Check it first: it can contain session cookies and personal data.
Can Kjerr replace a bug tracker?
No. Kjerr collects reports, removes duplicates, and tells reporters when the status changes. It has no assignees, severity levels or sprints and no sync with Jira or Linear. Teams use it as the front door and keep their issue tracker behind it.
Related pages
Give your users an answer.
Kjerr is free during early access, with every feature included and no credit card. When paid plans arrive they will be priced per workspace, never per admin seat and never per tracked user, so the number of people who post, vote or comment never changes the bill.