Automation for assignment change to unassign if status is To Do

[Chandrashekhar Kavi]

I want assignment to be unassigned if work item status = To Do, It is happening when issue creation through transition, but upon editing, assignment is possible, so I tried with the automation rule, unfortunately succeeded!  Need assistance on this from expert.

I have followed the below steps:

Automation rule to add with name "Assignee would be unassigned in "To Do""

Add Trigger: Work item updated
Next
Add a component: If: Add a condition > JQL condition > JQL=> status="To Do" and assignee is not EMPTY (Validate JQL)
Next
Add a component: Add an action > Edit work item > Choose field to set=> Assignee > Add (Check Assignee = Unassigned)
Next

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Chandrashekhar Kavi 

Can you tell us what occurred when you ran this rule? How did that not match what you wanted?

Can you provide a screen image that shows your entire rule?

Can you provide a screen image that shows the Audit Log output when the rule ran?

[Chandrashekhar Kavi]

Hi Trudly,

I am attaching 5 SSs for your reference. I want that if any user edit work item and if it has status "To Do" and assignee is not empty, it should be removed assignee. I have tried with adding comment in the work item, but there is no effect as expected! I have shared audit log for the reference, there is not happening anything in the audit log though I am editing the work item which has status To Do and assignee is not empty.

Please help.

[Chandrashekhar Kavi]

[Chandrashekhar Kavi]

[Chandrashekhar Kavi]

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Chandrashekhar Kavi 

Thank you for that additional information.

The Item Updated event is not fired for all the different kinds of updates that can be made to an issue. To have a rule execute when a comment is added you will need to use the Work Item Commented trigger.

To have these actions occur for every possible way an issue may be changed you will need to create multiple rules with different triggers.

I did not find a document that details which types of changes will trigger the Work Item Updated trigger. You will have to experiment with different types of changes to determine that. In my experience changes related to Comments, Status, and Assignee are among the events that don't fire the Item Updated event.

[Chandrashekhar Kavi]

Thank you Trudy, as per your reply, it will not work automation rule for my case because I want to remove assignee in case status is To Do. I have set transition rule while create work item, it's working to remove assignee as expected but the issue is, user is able to add assignee if he edit the work item. Is there any other workaround. It will be very helpful for me if any. Thank you again for your quick explanation.

[Trudy Claspill]

You can look at using a Workflow Status Property on the To Do status to deny the permission to assign the issue. That would prevent 

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-cloud-administration/docs/use-workflow-properties/

jira.permission.assign.denied

[Chandrashekhar Kavi]

Thank you for quick response.

I checked as you suggested, but it will not work for me! Because I want to permit for editing the work item but assignee should be unassigned if status is "To Do".  Request you please re think to assist accordingly.

Hope, 🙏 you understand my concern.

[Trudy Claspill]

Your requirements are contradictory.

You have said you want the issue changed to Unassigned when the status is To Do.

And now in your last reply you said Assignee should be assigned if status is To Do.

Please clarify your requirements.

[Chandrashekhar Kavi]

Sorry, it was typo mistake, corrected it. 

[Trudy Claspill]

I see you changed your last reply so that it agrees with your earlier statements that your requirement is you want the issue to be set to unassigned when it is in the To Do status.

It sounds like you have already handled that issue with your automation rule.

The second requirement you stated later in your responses is:

"but the issue is, user is able to add assignee if he edit the work item"

If you set the property jira.permission.assign.denied to true in the To Do status that will prevent users from assigning the issue when it is in that status. It does not prevent otherwise editing the issue. Preventing general edits would require setting a different property.

It may also prevent any user, including the Automation for Jira user, from changing the issue to Unassigned when it is in the To Do status. I have not experimented with it so you will need to test that out yourself. If it does prevent the issue from being set to Unassigned by the Automation then you will need to use the jira.permission.assign.{user} methodology to specify that while in the To Do status only a subset of users/roles/group members can change the Assignee of the issues.

[Chandrashekhar Kavi]

Hi Trudy,

As you suggested to check with jira.permission.assign.denied, I tried with the below steps, but not got the result as expected.

1. Created the fresh project for testing purpose

2. Set the property jira.permission.assign.denied to true in the To Do Status.

3. Checked project setting, default assignee is unassigned.

4. created the work item, it's created with assignee name=project lead though property was set to jira.permission.assign.denied.

I am attaching some screenshots for your reference and seeking your assistance on this.