How to block issue transition when comments or worklog empty (Next Gen)

[Josh Allen]

I'd like to block an issue in a Next Gen project that's in Review but work hasn't yet been logged, either in comments or work log so that team members who don't log their work are unable to move issue to done.

I've looked a bit at automation, but since Comments and Work Log aren't fields, it's a bit more challenging. I'm wondering if there's some JQL that someone has thought of to do this?

Thanks

[Josh Allen · Accepted solution]

Okay, I've essentially found a way. I wasn't able to block the issue transition, but I was able to add a notification via email or MS Teams/Slack if an issue has no comment or has no logged work.

Answer:

1. In Next Gen, use Jira Automation to create a new rule
2. Trigger: Issue Transitioned (I used from In Progress to In Review)
3. Condition: Advanced Compare Condition
   • First Value: {{worklog.comment}}
   • Condition equals
   • Second value empty
4. Action: Send email

You can also do this with comments using same Condition and first value {{comment}}

I found this page to be helpful:

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-software-cloud/docs/smart-values-general/

[Trudy Claspill]

Are you working with a Classic or Next-Gen project?

In a Classic project you can modify the workflow transition to add a Condition to disallow the transition unless Time Spent > 0. That addresses your requirement to have work logged.

You can also add a Validator to a workflow to prevent completion of the transition unless the user enters a comment. You would have to add a screen includes the Comment field to the transition so that they could enter a comment during the transition. And that would not be able to check if a Comment of any kind had previously been entered on the issue. It would simply require the user to enter a comment as part of the transition.

[Josh Allen]

Oops, that would have been helpful information. Apologies. 

I'm using Next Gen.

[Stefan Anghel]

"In a Classic project you can modify the workflow transition to add a Condition to disallow the transition unless Time Spent > 0. That addresses your requirement to have work logged."
@Trudy Claspill How exactly can that be achieved? Workflow conditions of type "Value field" do not allow check against "Time Spent".

I've tried checking against "Log Work" != null, but it does not seem to work....

I'm trying to configure a Classic (Software development)  project on Cloud..

[Trudy Claspill]

@Stefan Anghel 

I have no problem selecting Time Spent as a field in the Value Field Condition

[Stefan Anghel]

@Trudy Claspill thank you, I already resolved my issue thanks to an answer on another question.

You need to search for the field, the dropdown selection presents only a subset of possibile fields.

[Dave Mathijs]

Is there a difference between 'Time Spent' and 'Log Work' when Tempo is used for logging time?

[Artur Balyan _ Immedis]

@Trudy Claspill 

That's an eye-opener! This can serve as a transition cool-down, which is what I was looking for. Thank you.

[Hira Ahmed Shaikh]

I have applied Validators as the image below. but users are not able to move the jira tickets now. even when comments are there. have I missed something.

[Trudy Claspill]

@Hira Ahmed Shaikh 

I see that you started a separate new Question where you have already received an Answer.

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-questions/Jira-tickets-not-moving-to-different-status-after-validators-are/qaq-p/2463807

[Hira Ahmed Shaikh]

Yes and it works. Thanks all for the support.

[Hira Ahmed Shaikh]

Yes and it is working well for me. Just as i wanted. Thanks to the Atlassian community for the support.