Update parents in cascade with automation

[Pierre Arizolli]

Hi,

We are currently using Jira Premium (trial) and using a new hierarchy level called Objective, which is on top of the hierarchy (above Epic which is itself above Story).

I know how to use automation to update the parent when all children are transitionned, but I thought this could work as a "waterfall".

For example, if the last story of an epic is set to the Done status, the Epic above is set to Done too, then if it the last one, the Objective above would be set to Done.

But it doesn't work like this : the rule only applies on the closest parent. Meaning in my example, only the Epic will be set to Done.

At the same time, if I MANUALLY set the Epic to Done, the behavior is ok, the Objective will be transitionned. But not if I start from below.

The action performed by automation itself doesn't count as a proper transition ?

Screenshots : 

Story : I changed the status

Epic : Automation is ok

Objective : hasn't changed

Again if I do the manual transition on the Epic, the Objective will change.

Here is my automation, quite simple for now, but I'm ok to add more steps if needed, to chain actions and automations

Thanks for your help.

[John Funk · Accepted solution]

Hi Pierre, 

I would copy the rule that you have and make it just for Epics by adding a Condition as the first step after the trigger. Condition for issuetype = Epic. 

Be sure to check the box on the Rule Details page for "Check to all other rule actions to trigger this rule."

Then you probably want to change the first rule to add a Condition where issuetype != Epic. 

[Pierre Arizolli]

Hi John,

Thank you, it works fine, I completely forgot about the box you mentioned.

I would have prefered to do it all at once, but hey, it works ! ;)

Thank you again.

[Bill Sheboy]

Hi @Pierre Arizolli 

Just to confirm...

As written the rule should work for the hierarchy by enabling "Allow Rule Trigger", looping to trigger itself...with no need for an additional rule.  Is that what you ended up doing?

If so, please note if there are many levels in the hierarchy, a single rule approach could fail due to automation looping limits: https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/automation-service-limits/

Kind regards,
Bill

[John Funk]

Great! I am glad that worked for you

[Pierre Arizolli]

Hi Bill, indeed, just checking the box of my automation has solved the problem, it was so simple that I feel a bit ashamed of not knowing that after all these years.

Thanks to both of you.

Regards.

[Bill Sheboy]

No worries; we are all learning, all of the time :^)