Summary

Sometimes, when there is an approval step configured in the workflows, it would be helpful to notify the pending approver to decide so the ticket flow can go to the next step; however, at the moment, there is no notification that can be configured that could remind those that are selected to be an Approver of a request. The primary workaround is to get the approvers' approval decision and then use the Comment action in the automation rule to "@" mention the pending approvers so they will be notified that only their approval is pending the final decision.

This article will show the associated feature suggestion and provide an example workaround for the suggested function.

Associated feature suggestion

The following feature suggestion has been raised for the implementation and improvement of the "Approval required" automation rule action in JSM:

• JSDCLOUD-8369 - Getting issue details... STATUS

Workaround: Use automation rule to notify the pending approvers

The suggested automation rule logic is to search for tickets with the final approval decision as "pending" due to one or more approvers not having made their decision yet, then comment on the ticket to "@" notify the user pending the approval.

Case 01: Using a User Picker field

The example rule below is in a scenario where two approvers are in the selected approver field.

• When: Scheduled
• Mark the "Run a JQL search and execute actions for each issue in the query" checkbox and filter for the issues with pending approvals:

"Approvals[Approvals]" = pending() AND --complete your JQL filter here (I.E. project = PROJECTKEY AND status = "Waiting for Approval")

• Then: Re-fetch issue data
• Add a condition: IF or ELSE block
  • If: All matches

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(0)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: approved
  • AND

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(1)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: pending
  • Then: Add comment to issue
    • Comment:
      • "Approver: {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(0).displayName}} has approved the issue. Ticket is now waiting for the Approver: [~accountid:{{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(1).accountId}}] decision."
  • Else If: All matches

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(0)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: pending
  • AND

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(1)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: approved
  • Then: Add comment to issue
    • Comment:
      • "Approver: {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(1).displayName}} has approved the issue. Ticket is now waiting for the Approver: [~accountid:{{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(0).accountId}}] decision."
• Name the automation rule and turn it ON.
• Below is a quick exemple of how the automation rule logic should work:

Case 02: Using a Group Picker field

The example rule below is in a scenario where an approver group field is selected as the approver source.

• When: Scheduled
• Mark the "Run a JQL search and execute actions for each issue in the query" checkbox and filter for the issues with pending approvals:

"Approvals[Approvals]" = pending() AND --complete your JQL filter here (I.E. project = PROJECTKEY AND status = "Waiting for Approval")

• Then: Re-fetch issue data
• Add a condition: IF or ELSE block
  • If: All matches

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(0)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: approved
  • AND

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(1)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: pending
  • AND

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(2)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: pending
  • Then: Add comment to issue
    • Comment:
      • "Approver: {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(0).displayName}} has approved the issue. Ticket is now waiting for the Approvers: [~accountid:{{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(1).accountId}}] and [~accountid:{{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(2).accountId}}] decision."
  • Else If: All matches

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(0)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: pending
  • AND

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(1)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: approved
  • AND

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(2)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: pending
  • Then: Add comment to issue
    • Comment:
      • "Approver: {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(1).displayName}} has approved the issue. Ticket is now waiting for the Approver: [~accountid:{{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(0).accountId}}] and [~accountid:{{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(2).accountId}}] decision."

• Else If: All matches

  • • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(0)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: pending
  • AND

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(1)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: pending
  • AND

    • First value:

      {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approverDecision.get(2)}} 

    • Condition: contains
    • Second value: approved
• Then: Add comment to issue
  • Comment:
    • "Approver: {{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(2).displayName}} has approved the issue. Ticket is now waiting for the Approver: [~accountid:{{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(0).accountId}}] and [~accountid:{{issue.customfield_ID.approvers.get(0).approver.get(1).accountId}}] decision."

• Name the automation rule and turn it ON.
• Below is a quick exemple of how the automation rule logic should work:

  

References

• Jira automation triggers.
• Jira automation actions.
• Jira automation conditions.
• Automation smart values - lists.