Copy Custom Field (User Picker) from a linked record to Assignee

[Joshua Dumas]

Struggling to figure out how I can copy Custom Field (User Picker) from a linked record to the assignee Assignee

[Mark Segall · Accepted solution]

Hi @Joshua Dumas - I'd need a little more information on the flow, but this should be possible with automation.  You'd need to have a trigger (e.g. issue updated, status change, etc.) and any conditions (e.g. issue type = x, link type = x, etc.).  

[Joshua Dumas]

@Mark Segall -  so I have automation created so when an Issue is transitioned it looks at the linked issues and copies the custom field (Developer) from the linked issue to the assignee on the triggered issue but that isn't working

[Joshua Dumas]

here is the error I get

[Bill Sheboy]

Hi @Joshua Dumas 

You wanted to update the trigger issue's Assignee with the linked issue's Developer, correct?  If so...

When you edit an issue, the "current" issue is the one impacted, and "current" depends on where you are in the rule.  Inside of your branch, that would be the linked issue.

If you want to edit the trigger issue, you could use a lookup issues action with JQL to get the linked issue, and use that to edit the trigger issue: {{lookupIssues.first.Developer}}

Of note: do you ever have more than one issue linked to the trigger issue?  If so, please think how the rule should work in that case.

Kind regards,
Bill

[Joshua Dumas]

Here's how I solved this - thanks @Bill Sheboy 

NOTE: Don't use the drop-down, but type directly into the field (at the time, I didn't know you could do that) - find custom field by exporting issue that has custom filed as XML and locate field (in my case customfield_10085)

[Bill Sheboy]

Now that is interesting!  My understanding was that linked issues (and parent links) only had access to some fields (e.g. key, summary, story points) and not custom fields...leading to the need to use a branch, lookup issues, etc.  Otherwise a rule could potentially need to pull in a tree of issues' fields for the linkage chain, ever outward. 

The other possibility: this is now done dynamically and not limited to the initial scope of a trigger issue, branch, etc.  An experiment to try this would be to link a chain of issues, and then try to walk the chain with a loooooong smart value expression of link-to-link-to-link-...-to-custom field.

[Joshua Dumas]

so I thought it was working, but I think you jinxed me as I changed the status, and the Assignee on the JIRA ticket never copied from the linked issue

I put branching in place and here's what I have and it still isn't copying - URG!!

TRIGGERING ISSUE - SFSUPP

LINKED ISSUE - ITSCR

When I have this automation it updates the LINKED ISSUE (ITSCR - where Developer is) to UNASSIGNED - I want it to work the other way around (take Developer from ITSCR and copy it to Triggering issue - SFSUPP)

[Bill Sheboy]

To use the Lookup Issues smart value, you first need to use the action for it.  Something like:

• trigger: issue transitioned
• conditions: as needed to confirm you have your necessary conditions
• action: lookup issues with JQL to get the linked issue with an assigned developer
• advanced compare condition: to confirm there were results in the lookup by testing {{lookupIssues.size|0}} equals 1 (or more if you expect that)
• action: edit issue to set the Assignee from the Lookup Issues developer

[Joshua Dumas]

here is what I ended up doing and works perfectly for ONE ISSUE linked to ANOTHER ISSUE