# Use the Status Update field

Status Update is an optional field in Google Issue Tracker that represents the
current state of an issue. For high traffic issues, teams can use this field to
provide a canonical answer about how an issue is being handled.

The Status Update field:

- Supports Markdown.
- Encourages brevity with a soft size limit of four lines of displayed text.
- Provides visible information on how recently the issue was updated; for example, how many days have passed since the last status update.
- Triggers email notifications to subscribers when it is updated.

> [!IMPORTANT]
> **Important:** The Status Update field cannot be added as a column to lists, such as component views and hotlists.

## Example use cases

You can use the Status Update field to identify an issue's current state. For
example:

- "The current workaround is ..."
- "The issue is solved and a **fix is on the way**. It should be live in all locations in 30 minutes."
- "This feature request has been evaluated, but it is not yet funded. Click the **+1** button if you find it useful."
- "This project is delayed because of ..."

## View status updates

If you have at least View Issues access to an issue, you can view the Status
Update field.

The status update is not displayed on the issue list page.

## Status Update versus Description

The [Description field](https://developers.google.com/issue-tracker/references/glossary-of-fields) is where you define the issue, and it is generally
more durable over time. The Status Update field is meant to represent a brief
summary of the current state of the issue.