Out-of-Office Detection for Request Participants in Jira Service Management

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Many Jira Service Management tickets rely on more than just the assignee.
Request participants are often added to provide context, confirm details, or approve next steps. In theory, this keeps work moving. In practice, it can introduce delays, especially when availability isn’t clear.

A common scenario: a request participant is added to a ticket, but they’re actually out of the office. The ticket waits, follow-ups start, and no one is sure whether progress is blocked or just slow.

Why Availability Matters in JSM

JSM workflows depend on timing and responsiveness. When participants are unavailable:

• Tickets can stall without a clear reason
• Responsibility becomes unclear
• Teams spend time checking the status instead of progressing the issue

This is especially noticeable in service desks where request participants are added frequently and across teams.

How Out-of-Office Detection Helps

Out-of-office detection for request participants adds visibility at the moment someone is included in a ticket.

When a user is added as a request participant:

• The Out of Office Sync for Jira and Microsoft app checks their out-of-office status in Outlook (based on automatic replies and/or all-day calendar entries, depending on what you decide)
• If the person is away, a warning is shown directly in the ticket
• The behavior matches existing out-of-office detection for assignees

This allows teams to adjust early, for example, by adding another participant or setting expectations before work slows down.

Practical Impact

Making availability visible helps teams:

• Avoid depending on someone who is currently unavailable
• Keep tickets moving without guessing who will respond
• Reduce unnecessary follow-ups and waiting
• Involve the right people at the right time

Instead of reacting to delays after they happen, teams can adjust earlier and keep work moving with more clarity.

It’s interesting to see how different teams handle availability in Jira Service Management, especially when multiple request participants are involved.

Some rely on manual checks, others on process rules or automation.

How do you handle availability today when adding request participants to JSM tickets, and where do delays usually appear in your workflows?

Looking forward to your comments!