How to empty a column every eight weeks

[Svenja Diester]

Hello,

We are looking for a way to empty a column which was created by us (see pink box in the screenshot) automatically every eight weeks. We don't want to delete the tickets but no longer see them in the board.

In this board we have two columns that contain completed task, this means the "Hide completed issues older than xx weeks" function is not an option.

Thanks for your help

[Jack Brickey]

Hi @Svenja Diester , here is a quick approach that popped to mind.

create an automation rule, that will add a label to the issues in your archive column and edit your general filter for the board search that it excludes any issue with that label.

automation:

• trigger - scheduled to run every 8 days
• Branch related issues - JQL e.g. status = archive and labels != "eight-days"
• action - add label "eight-days"

board filter:

...and labels != eight-days

Hopefully this makes sense? Also, one thing to consider is that you may want to remove that label under certain scenarios. Such as let's say, an issue is re-opened and entering back into your workflow then you may want to show it again.

[Svenja Diester]

Hi @Jack Brickey thanks for your fast answer. 

This sounds like a good idea but as I'm pretty new to the whole Jira universe could you please be a bit more clear about what I exactly need to do?

I know how to do an automation but was not able to find something that triggers a run every 8 weeks. 

 I know how to do a filter with JQL but not how to  branch related issues?

And last I need to create a label "eight weeks" which than needs to be added to every ticket in the archive column?

And finally I change my board filter by adding the labels != eight-weeks label to the JQL filter?


Thanks a lot!

[Jack Brickey]

you bet. Note, I had to update my approach as I began to think about it more. Hopefully the following will work for you but I am sure that some testing and tweaking will be needed.

Automation trigger - run the rule daily

Branch JQL - status = Archive and status was Archive BEFORE startofday(-8w) AND labels != deep-archive

Action Edit issue - add "deep-archive"

Now for the board filter click on the ellipses in the upper right and select Board settings. in the General view click on the Edit filter query link and add the following before any ORDER BY clause.

AND labels != deep-archive

Give this a try and let me know where you might get stuck.

One final note, I recommend changing your intervals here such that you can quickly test. For example, find an issue that has been in the archive status for greater than eight weeks and add the deep–archive label. Then change the trigger from a scheduled to a manual trigger. This will allow you to manually trigger the rule from any issue by clicking on the actions icon and it should run and archive the issue that you just labeled. At least if I have it right. :-)

[Svenja Diester]

Thanks @Jack Brickey

I was able to follow the steps you described but a problem came up after I added the "AND labels != deep-archive" to my JQL-filter. 
Some of the Issues in the To do and in progress column were no longer visible. I thought I maybe also have to add the "AND labels != deep-archive" to my Quick-Filter, but had still the same problem afterwards. 
Please see screenshots for my filter before and after I added your suggestion. 
As you can see the visible Issues went from 496 to 89.
I have the feeling that something went wrong with the label creation because when I added the label to the JQL it wasn't shown as a selection option like it is with other labels (see screenshot 3). But I am able to choose this label when creating a issue so it seems it was created but is not choosable in the filter section. 

[Jack Brickey]

Ah...sorry...try the following...

project = BT AND (Labels != deep-archive OR Labels is not EMPTY)

I often forget to include that last bit. Basically, what was happening was that by adding a labels clause, if you do not specifically add the "is not empty" then any issue without a label would be excluded. Additionally, if you were wondering, the parentheses are required, so that we are indeed limiting the list to your BT project. Otherwise, the OR statement would result in pulling any issue from any project where the labels field is empty.

[Svenja Diester]

@Jack Brickey  

I still have the same problem. Most of my Issues in progress or in the to do columns are not shown with this filter anymore. In the first screenshot you can see my new filter. The number of Issues went down again from about 490 to 411. 

The second screenshot shows my columns and that none of my Issues in the To do and in progress columns are visible anymore. 

 Is it possible that I also have to change my Quick-Filters?
These are the two versions I've tried (for one of my 8 Quick-Filters) but this did not change anything

I still cant see my task neither when activating or deactivating my Quick-Filter. 

[Svenja Diester]

And I just found out that now Issues from different boards are visible on my board. I have now idea how this is possible. The persons who created the Issues are not party of our team and they did not use one of our components. 

[Jack Brickey]

Hi @Svenja Diester , in the first image you show can you please add the parentheses as I indicated previously? More importantly I see I used "is not" where I should have said "is Empty), my apologies again.

Regarding the QFs, please simply clear all QF and assess the results. With the following filter you should only exclude any issue that has the label.

project = BT and (labels != deep-archive OR labels is Empty)

Without the parenthesis you will see issues from other projects, explaining your latest reply.

NOTE: I am seeing two different labels in your screenshot: deep-archive and DeepArchive. Please ensure that your board filter is indeed referencing the correct/intended label.

Now, regarding your QFs, you do not need to include the "(labels != DeepArchive OR labels is Empty)" at all since it is already applied to the main filter.

[Matthias Gaiser _K15t_]

If you're not aiming for emptying every 8 weeks, but just want to hide all issues older than 8 weeks, you could also modify your board filter to something like:

• updated <= -8w
  Excludes all issues not updated in the last 8 weeks

• status CHANGED BEFORE startOfWeek(-8)
  Excludes all issues where the status did not change in the last 8 weeks

Then you don't need an extra automation, otherwise Jack's solution is perfectly fine as well.

[Svenja Diester]

@Matthias Gaiser _K15t_  as I only want to hide Issues which are already completed for more than 8 weeks, this would not working for me