Jira Automation: Branch rule / related issues for parent issues

[Valerie]

Hi everyone, 

I'm struggling to find an automation that lets me sum up a numeric value of a custom field from epic to 'initiative' and higher. 

Background:

1. We have a hierarchy level of issue types by using the advanced roadmaps (screenshot 1).  Goal>Theme>Initiative>Epic
2. Epics are in three projects and Goals, Themes, and Initiatives are in a separate project

What I did:

1. I added a custom field (numeric field) called 'Original Estimate (SH)' with the default 0
2. I changed all values for the field of existing issues to 0
3.  I added a global automation (screenshot 2)
   1. Trigger: field vaule changed: 'Original Estimate (SH)'
   2. Branch rule/ related issues: Parent 
   3. Action: edit issue- field: Original Estimate (SH)
      {{triggerissue.Original Estimate (SH)}} + {{issue.Original Estimate (SH)}}

Problem:

The branch rule 'parent' is not working because it only works for sub-tasks (?). (It works if I put in 'linked issues' and manually create a relation between the epic and initiative. But this would require a lot of manual work for me)

Question: 

Is there a branch rule or any other way that lets me sum a field value up the issue type hierarchy? 

[Bill Sheboy · Accepted solution]

Hi @Valerie Fischer 

I do not believe there is anything built-in for that parent/child branching yet.  There are several open suggestions for it that you may watch/vote for:

• https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRACLOUD-74105
• https://codebarrel.atlassian.net/browse/AUT-1779
• https://codebarrel.atlassian.net/browse/AUT-1789
• https://codebarrel.atlassian.net/browse/AUT-1840

Until one of those is implemented, I wonder if you could use a branch on JQL to get at the parent.  If you do test this with an advanced issue search does that return the parent issue, regardless of the hierarchy level?

Also, please consider:

• What do you want your rule to do when a lower level issue issue?  For example, percolate up to all parents?  If so, you will need to consider how to do that with rules in a way which doesn't lead to a looping situation.
• You show just adding values to your custom field.  What happens when fields are cleared, reduced, etc.?

Kind regards,
Bill

[Valerie]

Hi Bill,

thanks for your reply and help. 

I'll try to develop a workaround then:)

Kind regards,

Valerie