How to automatically update Jira Service Management Approvals when Assets approvers change

Summary

There is a bug in Jira Service Management (JSM) that occurs when the Approvals feature is set to use users from an Assets custom field.

JSDSERVER-12730 - Approvers from Assets customfield should be updated when Object is replaced

Due to the bug, when someone changes the users via the designated approvers field on a Jira Issue, the approvers list does not automatically updated after it's initial population.

This means that once an approver is selected via the Assets custom field, the approvals list won't get updated again with subsequent updates to the approval field

This knowledge base article describes a solution to workaround this issue using Automation (legacy) and Automation rules (Automation for Jira)

Environment

• You have JSM Approvals configured using an Assets custom field for the approvers list

  and

• You are affected by JSDSERVER-12730 - Approvers from Assets customfield should be updated when Object is replaced

  and

• You have Automation for Jira installed (included with Jira Data Center at no additional cost)

Solution

Theory of operation

The bug JSDSERVER-12730 - Approvers from Assets customfield should be updated when Object is replaced causes the JSM Approver list to only get populated initially, not for subsequent changes, when the approvals system is set to use an Assets custom field.

An approvals round is stopped when the issue is transitioned to the status defined in the Approval workflow step under "Transition when declined". It is started, and the approvers list being populated from the defined field, when the issue is subsequently transitioned to the "Needs Approval" workflow step.

This means that detecting a change to the Assets approvers field using automation, automatically declining the approval, then transitioning back to the initial "Needs Approval" step is a possible workaround. Due to various limitation in both JSM Automation and Automation for Jira, 3 automation rules are required.

• Rule 1 - Automation for Jira

  • This rule detects changes to the Assets Approvers custom field

  • It comments on the issue, so that JSM Legacy automation can detect the change

  • Since the solution requires Denying the approval, it also sets a special custom field created especially for this workaround, so that it knows the denial was part of this automation, rather than a regular user performing the Denial

• Rule 2 - JSM (Legacy) Automation

  • This rule is required as Automation for Jira cannot transition issues when that status has an Approvals Approved or Denied action applied to it (JIRAAUTOSERVER-372 - Add the ability to automatically approve or decline requests using a rule from Automation for Jira)

  • This rule checks for the comment added by Rule 1, and then Declines the transition when found

• Rule 3 - Automation for Jira

  • When the issue is transitioned to the Denied status (performed by rule 2), and the special custom field is set, it transitions the issue back to the "Waiting for Approval" status. This results in the Approvals list being reinitialised from the Assets custom field

  • It also resets the special custom field so that the process could be initiated again for this issue

Implementing the solution

1. Create a Text field (single line) custom field called Approvers reset

2. In your project's workflow, ensure that the "Waiting for approval" step can be transitioned to "Denied", and visa versa. You may need to add or update an existing transition to make this possible

3. Visit Jira Admin -> System -> Automation rules

4. Create a rule:

   • Name:Update Approvers Part 1

   • Trigger (when) : Field Value Changed

     • Fields to monitor: Type the exact name of your Assets approvers custom field. You will need to type these exactly as it won't populate in dropdown

     • For: Edit issue

   • Action (then): Comment on issue

     • Comment: This issue was reset to the start as it's approvers were changed

   • Action (then): Edit Issue

     • Field: Approvers Reset

     • Value: Resetting

5. Save and publish the rule

6. Create another rule:

   • Name:Update Approvers Part 3

   • Trigger (when) : Issue transitioned

     • From: Status: Waiting for Approval

     • To: Status: Declined

   • Condition(if) : Issue fields condition

     • Field: Approvers reset

     • Equals Value: Resetting

   • Then: Transition issue

     • Destination Status: Waiting for approval

     • Field Approvers Reset

     • Value: Blank - This field will be cleared

7. Save and publish the rule

8. Visit your project, click Project Settings, and click Legacy Automation

9. Add a new rule

   • Name: Update Approvers Part 2

   • When: Comment Added

   • If: Comment contains:

     • This issue was reset to the start as it's approvers were changed

   • Then: Auto-approve/decline

     • Answer: Decline

10. Save the rule

Solution illustrations

These screenshots illustrate the desired configuration

Workflow

Rule 1

Rule 2

Rule 3