Automation - how do I compare multiple date fields from the same issue and insert the earliest date?

[Andy]

In Automation, I want to find the earliest date from a list of dates and use it to populate another field within the same issue.

---

For example, in my issue, I may have a list of dates like:

• Custom Field 1: May 10
• Custom Field 2: April 5
• Custom Field 3: June 1

I want to look at all those dates and pick the one that comes first — April 5 — and set another field using that date.

---

My list of fields are:

• Custom Fields:
  • issue.customfield_10652
  • issue.customfield_10713
  • issue.customfield_10659
  • issue.customfield_10677
  • issue.customfield_10683
  • issue.customfield_10689
  • issue.customfield_10701
  • issue.customfield_10695
  • issue.customfield_10707
  • issue.customfield_10671
  • issue.customfield_10557
  • All Date Picker fields
• Field to insert the earliest date to:
  • issue.customfield_10015
  • Date Picker field

---

The output of field is "customfield_10652":"2025-04-25".

I have tried the following (with a reduced number of fields):

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Create Variable

Variable Name = TestVariable
Smart Value = {{[issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].min}}

Unable to render smart values when executing this rule:
Failed to get value for [issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].min: {{[issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].min}}

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Log Action

Log message = {{[issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].min}}

Unable to render smart values when executing this rule:
Failed to get value for [issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].min: Earliest Date: {{[issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].min}}

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Edit work item

Field = Start date
Value = {{[issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].min}}

Error - Unable to render smart values when executing this rule:
Failed to get value for [issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].min: {{[issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].min}}

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Create Variable

Variable Name = TestVariable
Smart value = {{[issue.customfield_10652.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10713.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10659.jiraDateTime].min}}

Unable to render smart values when executing this rule:
Failed to get value for [issue.customfield_10652.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10713.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10659.jiraDateTime].min: {{[issue.customfield_10652.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10713.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10659.jiraDateTime].min}}

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Edit work item

Field = Start date
Value = {{[issue.customfield_10652.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10713.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10659.jiraDateTime].min}}

Error - Unable to render smart values when executing this rule:
Failed to get value for [issue.customfield_10652.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10713.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10659.jiraDateTime].min: {{[issue.customfield_10652.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10713.jiraDateTime, issue.customfield_10659.jiraDateTime].min}}

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Create Variable

Variable Name = TestVariable
Smart Value = {{#=}}min({{issue.customfield_10652}}, {{issue.customfield_10713}}, {{issue.customfield_10659}}){{/}}

Log = "TestVariable: 1995"

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Create Variable

Variable Name = TestVariable
Smart Value = {{#=}}min({{issue.customfield_10652.jiraDate}}, {{issue.customfield_10713.jiraDate}}, {{issue.customfield_10659.jiraDate}}){{/}}

Log = "TestVariable: 1994"

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Create Variable

Variable Name = TestVariable
Smart Value = {{#=}}min({{issue.customfield_10652.jiraDateTime}}, {{issue.customfield_10713.jiraDateTime}}, {{issue.customfield_10659.jiraDateTime}}){{/}}

Error - Unable to render smart values when executing this rule:
Unknown operator : at character position 18: min(2025-04-26T00:00:00.0+0000, 2025-04-25T00:00:00.0+0000, 2025-04-25T00:00:00.0+0000)

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Create Variable

Variable Name = TestVariable
Smart Value = {{[issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].filter(notNull).min}}

Error - Unable to render smart values when executing this rule:
Failed to get value for [issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].filter(notNull).min: {{[issue.customfield_10652, issue.customfield_10713, issue.customfield_10659].filter(notNull).min}}

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Edit work item

Advanced fields =

{
"fields": {
"customfield_10015": "{{issue.customfield_10652.jiraDate.min(issue.customfield_10713.jiraDate).min(issue.customfield_10659.jiraDate)}}"
}
}

Error - Error editing work items
PMOV2-476 (The Start date must be of the format "yyyy-MM-dd" (customfield_10015))

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Edit work item

Advanced fields =

{
"fields": {
"customfield_10015": "{{issue.customfield_10652.jiraDate.min(issue.customfield_10713.jiraDate).min(issue.customfield_10659.jiraDate).toString(\"yyyy-MM-dd\")}}"
}
}

Error - Error editing work items
PMOV2-476 (The Start date must be of the format "yyyy-MM-dd" (customfield_10015))

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

--------------

Edit work item

Advanced fields =

{
"fields": {
"customfield_10015": "{{issue.customfield_10652.min(issue.customfield_10713).min(issue.customfield_10659).toString(\"yyyy-MM-dd\")}}"
}
}

Error - Error editing work items
PMOV2-476 (The Start date must be of the format "yyyy-MM-dd" (customfield_10015))

It should show "25 Apr 2025".

[Ana Livia Rocha Silva · Accepted solution]

Hi @Andy 

I believe the problem is that you need to create a variable for the custom fields before comparing them. Here's a post with a very similar question that got resolved:

https://community.atlassian.com/forums/Jira-questions/I-need-to-create-an-automation-that-compare-4-date-picker-custom/qaq-p/2786103

Kind regards,

Ana 

[Andy]

Thank you @Ana Livia Rocha Silva :-) That was driving me crazy!

This was solved by first creating a variable with the smart values "{{issue.FieldA.jiraDate}},{{issue.FieldB.jiraDate}},{{issue.FieldC.jiraDate}},{{issue.FieldD.jiraDate}}" (replace with fields required).

Then in the edit issue action, chose the field to set and add "{{VARIABLENAME.split(",").toDate.min}}".

This also works if a field being compared is blank (but it will not work if all of the dates are empty).