How to automise issue links based on a URL field?

[Hannah Sorrell]

Hey, I have created a URL field in my form where people paste in the URL to the jira task they would like linked. 

How can I automise this? 

I have included some screenshots of where I need help :) I have set it up so that when an issue is created and the 'er knyttet til en annen oppgave?' is not empty then the edit issues field is edited. I then want the URL from this field to be used so that it knows which issue to link. 

Hoping this makes sense :) 

[Gabriel Viger]

Here's how to do it:

Replace trigger and conditions to match your scenario.

[Bill Sheboy]

Hi @Hannah Sorrell -- Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

You could use text functions to extract the issue key from the URL in the custom field, and then use that in the Link Issues action: https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/jira-smart-values-text-fields/

For example, the issue link URL probably looks like this:

your Jira URL/TEST-123

And so the key may be extracted with:

{{issue.yourCustomField.substringAfterLast("/")}}

That will work if the field is plain text.  If it is a smart link, use this:

{{issue.yourCustomField.substringAfterLast("/").substringBefore("]")}}

Kind regards,
Bill

[Hannah Sorrell]

Thanks Bill! Could you explain this a little more? 
It is possible to ask people to write the issue number, for example TEST-123, instead of the URL. 

However I have not managed to automate linking of tasks yet. 
Here is what I have just tried :) 

[Hannah Sorrell]

Here is what happens when I create a text field in the form instead of a URL: 

[Bill Sheboy]

First thing, when using the Issue Created trigger, it can fire so quickly that some data may not yet be available to the rule...potentially causing unexpected behaviors. 

The fix for that is to always add the Re-fetch Issue action immediately after the trigger, to slow down the rule and re-load the data:

• trigger: issue created
• action: re-fetch issue
• ...

Next, smart values are name, spacing, and case-sensitive.  When an incorrect one is used it returns as null.  I recommend pausing to confirm the correct smart value (or custom field id) for your field using this how-to article: https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/find-the-smart-value-for-a-field/

Finally, if your team members may enter just the issue key or enter a URL, the rule will need to handle both cases.  Is that accurate?

You may want to create a variable for the expected key and then use a condition to test it.  For example:

• action: create variable
  • name: varIssueToLink
  • smart value: {{issue.yourCustomField.substringAfterLast("/")}}
• if / else condition  (Check if the variable is empty, and if so replace it with the complete field.)
  • smart value condition:
    • first value: {{varIssueToLink}}
    • condition: equals
    • second value: leave this empty
  • action: create variable
    • name: varIssueToLink
    • smart value: {{issue.yourCustomField}}
• action: link issue, using {{varIssueToLink}} as the key

[Jovin]

Hey @Hannah Sorrell 

Great question here, and meanwhile I'm unsure whether the URL can be used to link it you can always give it a try by using the "Link issues" action alongside the smart value for the field. That dropdown can also have values typed in.

To access the field you've created use {{issue.Field Name}}, in this case for your example you'd put in {{issue.er knyttet til en annen oppgave?}}

It may not work with URLs, but worth a shot!

[Hannah Sorrell]

Thank you so much, I gave this a try but unfortunately had no luck. 

Something interesting is, even when I have the value set to 'trigger issue' or 'most recently created issue' I still don't get an any tasks linked. So I wonder if there is something else wrong with my automisation rule also?