How can I require a github pull request when transitioning state?

[Kieran Pilkington]

We have an "In Progress" column and a "Code Review" column. I would like to make it so that you cannot transition the ticket to Code Review without a github pull request being linked to on the ticket. Is there any way to do this?

[Patrik Korovsky]

Hi @Kieran Pilkington

My answer may be unnecessarily complicated, but I would approach it this way:

1. Create a new custom field and add it to your issue fields; in my example "Test Data" that can be edited by automation
2. Add a validation to the transition from "In Progress" to "Code Review"
   
3. Create an automation rule that populates the "Test Data" field when a PR is made
   

If no PR has been performed, the field should be unpopulated and the transition should not be possible.

Note, I haven't tested this, but I believe it should work. There might be a problem with validating that the PR was done before the problem got to "in progress". It might be safer to set it up with a condition that compares it to a "custom number field" that is updated the same way (instead of text). This way even if it happens before it gets into such status it is possible to transition.