Jira Automation handling empty value in Lookup Tables

[Andy Tran]

I followed several posts here in the community but still cannot figure out the solution that @Bill Sheboy posted a few years back here.

Scenario is similar to the post and I'm trying to handle null values from my 2 dropdown fields.  I was successful in getting the formula to work and post a value when options were selected from both dropdown fields.

Problem:  I am trying to account for when a field is null (empty) or changed back to empty.  The calculated value stays the same and I get an error in the automation. 

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I created 2 lookup tables.  

Logged the value: {{Likelihood.get(issue.customfield_19663.value)}}

and {{Impact.get(issue.customfield_19664.value)}}

The output is then saved in a custom field called Risk Score using the following formula.
{{#=}}{{Likelihood.get(issue.customfield_19663.value)}} * {{Impact.get(issue.customfield_19664.value)}}{{/}}

I attempted to adjust the edit field formula to be:

{{#=}}{{Likelihood.get(issue.customfield_19663.value|0)}} * {{Impact.get(issue.customfield_19664.value|0)}}{{/}}

to account for empty value but that gave an error:

I am not skilled enough to understand where/how to adjust the flow to account for the empty value.  Clearly putting this in the wrong place and/or missing something in this flow.

[Germán Morales _ Hiera · Accepted solution]

Hi @Andy Tran , welcome to the Community. The error "Missing parameter(s) for operator *: 4 *" is telling you the second number is empty: when the Impact dropdown is blank, Impact.get returns nothing, so the expression becomes "4 *" with no second operand and the Edit step fails. The score never updates because the action errors out instead of saving.

Your |0 is just in the wrong spot. You put it inside the lookup, on the field value, so an empty field becomes "0" and then you look up the key 0, which isn't in the table, so it still comes back empty. Put the default on the result of the lookup instead, outside the get:

• {{#=}}{{Likelihood.get(issue.customfield_19663.value)|0}} * {{Impact.get(issue.customfield_19664.value)|0}}{{/}}

Now an empty field resolves to 0, the expression renders as "4 * 0", and it computes cleanly, which also means clearing a field finally recalculates Risk Score instead of leaving the old value sitting there. If you would rather not score at all while one is blank, add a condition that both fields are set just before the Edit work item action.

[Andy Tran]

OMG!  I was so close to getting it right.  Thank you @Germán Morales _ Hiera for the help.  It works now.