Adding comments using an automation rule does not fire issue updated event

[Henrique Bittencourt]

Am I right to think that adding comments using an automation rule does not fire issue updated event?

[Arkadiusz Wroblewski · Accepted solution]

Hello @Henrique Bittencourt 

yes don’t expect “Issue updated” to fire just because an automation added a comment.

Comments are handled as their own thing, so if you need to react to comments, use the “Issue commented / Work item commented” trigger.

Rule:

Comment added → use comment trigger

Field changed → use issue updated / field value changed

[Chris Rainey · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

I believe you're correct, assuming the automation rule does not make any actual changes to the work item itself. Atlassian's documentation for events states that an issue updated event is sent when any field on an issue is modified.

There are events for comments - separate from work item events.

[Bill Sheboy]

Hi @Henrique Bittencourt 

Yes, and...to the suggestions from @Chris Rainey -- Although automation rule triggers use events to detect when to start, and work item event documentation indicates:

An event with the name avi:jira:updated:issue is sent when any field on an issue is modified...

That is not always the case.  As noted, there are separate events for some field changes  (e.g., comments, assignee, etc.).  And, the automation engine does not necessarily respond as documented for all such events.  One example is when Jira Product Discovery (JPD) added "delivery ticket" linking: that does not consistently trigger Work Item Linked for some link directions...due to special handling for the "Polaris" type of link in the automation engine.

As with most things automation-related, the key is experimentation: when you observe something that does not work as expected, pause to understand why, and then consider any mitigations / workarounds to help.

Kind regards,
Bill