Conditional Validations

[Ritika Kapoor]

Hi! I work in JIRA cloud. How do you add conditional validations in JIRA either using the workflow or Automation.

Use Case: All Issue types have the same workflow. Issue type Bug has a custom fields F1 and Story/Task have custom field F2.

When issue type is Bug and a F1 is null, give an alert error message. 

When issue Type is Story/Bug and F2 is null, give an alert error message.

I've used validators from workflows for common fields and it has worked. I know I can try to use automation somehow, but is there a way to give an alert error message?

[Darryl Lee · Accepted solution]

Hi @Ritika Kapoor - unfortunately Automation does not offer any interactive elements like an alert or error message, or to force a field to be populated like a validator can.

You will need to create a custom validator from a paid third-party add-on like in these examples:

• Cloud Workflows -  Using Jira Expressions
• Cloud Workflows - Cookbook (Jodocus)
• JMWE - Use Cases
• JMWE - Configuring Workflow Conditions for Jira Cloud (video)
• JWT - Use Case Library
• ScriptRunner - Workflow Extensions
• Jodocus Blog - Various Jira Expression of the Week articles

This is done with Jira Expressions.

Here's a relevant example from JWT's Use Case Library:

• Make a field required only for stories

The actual Jira Expression from that example looks like this:

issue?.issueType?.name == "Story" ? issue?.customfield_20002 != null : true

I have not had used any of these add-ons in a while, so it could be that one of them now has a "wizard" or some kind of assistant that helps you create validators without needing to learn Jira Expressions.

ALSO - man, it has been a while, so I do not know what the ? is for after issue and issueType. 

Oh, I forgot that JMWE has a very useful Field required Validator that can add a conditional validation. So that's probably a great way to go if you had JMWE or purchased it:

• Add the Field required validator to the Start Progress transition.
• Select the F1 field
• Select the Conditional validation option
• Input the following script in Validator scope section
  issue.issueType.name == "Bug"
• Configure the error message: F1 must be filled out for Bugs

And then another validator but for F2 and with this conditional validation:

issue.issueType.name == "Story" || issue.issueType.name == "Task"

[Darryl Lee]

Regarding those question marks... (Thank goodness for documentation):

In expressions where such strict rules are not desired, use the optional chaining operator ?.. This operator behaves in the same way as regular member access, but with one crucial difference: when accessing the property fails, null is returned.

So I think that's just a failsafe in case ... there isn't an issue or an issueType? That seems... unlikely. But ok.

Boolean logic is... weird. At least to this non-programmer. :-}

[Ritika Kapoor]

Thank you Darryl. This was very helpful. I guess I need to look for the 3rd party add-ons now.