How can I automatically link two issues under the same EPIC to one another?

[Dom]

So one can link Issues to an EPIC with the EPIC link automatically.  However how can you cross link all issues under an EPIC to each other and not have to go to the EPIC to see all the issues that are associated.  We're trying to link issues that are dependent on one another and our project manager has to keep going back to the EPIC to see all the issues linked.  Is this done by some form of custom trigger?  Suggested are needed and welcome.  Thank you!

Dominic

[Petter Gonçalves · Accepted solution]

Hello @Dom

Per your description, I understand you would like to automatically create a link between issues under the same Epic.

This goal can be easily achieved by automation for Jira, however, you will need to define a trigger for this operation. Let me give you a practical example:

Let's suppose you want to link all the issues from a parent to a new issue when it got created under that same parent. These would be the steps:

1. Navigate to your project > Project Settings > Automation
2. Create the following rule:
   

The rule above works in the following way:

• The Automation is triggered when a new issue is created
• For all the existing issues that have the same Epic that the triggering one
• Add the link to the newly created issue

Let us know if this information helps.

[Dom]

Awesome!  Seems like it will work.  I figured it would be with automation based on a trigger.  We'll test and let you know.

Thank you,

Dominic

[Petter Gonçalves]

You are welcome, @Dom

Have a nice week and let us know if that automation worked as you expected.

[Dom]

Ok. So I tested and I think it's not doing what I was envisioning.   We want to add an issue to an Epic but then have all issues under an Epic to cross link with one another.  We do not want to have to click the Epic link to get back to the Epic to then have to click the issue we're looking for.  here's an example:

We have an EPIC (Customer Project), the project requires 2 issues to be created under this EPIC: Issue #1 (Server Install) and Issue#2 (Interface Installation).   Issue 2 cannot proceed until Issue 1 is finished.  We would like to view Issue 2 and link directly from there to Issue 1 and check the status.  We do not want to view Issue 2 then click the Epic then find Issue 1.  Make sense?

Thank you,

Dom

[Dom]

I just checked the automation and found this error.   Is there something wrong with the project?

http://prntscr.com/slw50d

[Petter Gonçalves]

Hello @Dom

Thank you for your answer and feedback.

Let me provide you with some context and ask some questions so we can better troubleshoot the issue:

About this sentence:

Ok. So I tested and I think it's not doing what I was envisioning.   We want to add an issue to an Epic but then have all issues under an Epic to cross link with one another.  We do not want to have to click the Epic link to get back to the Epic to then have to click the issue we're looking for.

Actually, that's exactly what the rule I provided should do. It should create a link between the issues under the same Epic. Let me give you an example to explain the logic behind the rule:

1. Let's suppose you created an Epic and configured the automation rule
2. Then, you created a new issue under that Epic. The automation rule will be triggered, however, it will not be applicable to your issue because you don't have any other issue to link under the same Epic yet. It will possibly return an error in the audit log of the automation
3. Then, you created another issue under the same Epic. This time, the automation rule should link the newly created issue to the previous one you have created in step 2.
4. For all the other issues created under that same Epic, the behavior in Step 3 will be applied.

About the error you are facing, please provide us the following details so we can better troubleshoot it:

1. Is it happening when your scenario is the same as explained in step 3 of the example provided above?
2. Are you using a Next-gen or Classic project?
3. Can you provide us with a screenshot of your automation rule? Please, select the "Branch rule" step to be displayed in the screenshot, just like I did in my own screenshot.

Let us know if you have any questions.

[Dom]

So I think it's also a timing issue where Jira needs some time for the trigger to complete.  I changed the trigger from "issue create" to "issue update" and it seems to work fine.  We're rolling out to a new project and see how it goes.  Thanks for the solution!   Dom

[Petter Gonçalves]

You are welcome, @Dom

Thank you for letting us know that it has properly worked for you. 

If you have any new questions, please don't hesitate to contact us again. Have a nice week ahead!