Best practice for Rovo agent to create ticket comments via automation rules - Link embedding issue

[Jordi Romera]

I'm currently using a Rovo AI agent within a Jira Cloud automation rule to provide onboarding assistance for access requests.

Current implementation:

• Automation rule triggers the Rovo agent with ticket data
• In the automation rule, I use "And: Add comment to work item" action
• The comment content is set to {{agentResponse}}

Issue encountered: During testing, I've found that I cannot embed clickable links within the {{agentResponse}} when it's added as a comment. I've tried both formats:

• Markdown format: [text](URL)
• Jira format: [text|URL]

However, the links appear as plain text instead of being rendered as clickable links in the ticket comments.

Questions:

1. Is there a more efficient or recommended way for a Rovo agent to directly create comments on Jira tickets through automation rules?
2. How can I make the Rovo agent response include properly formatted, clickable links in Jira comments?
3. Are there specific formatting requirements for links in {{agentResponse}} variables?

Any guidance or documentation you can point me to would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Jordi

[Prachi Bolar]

Hello,
Welcome to the community! :)

Please find the details below:

1. Is there a more efficient or recommended way for a Rovo agent to directly create comments on Jira tickets through automation rules?

Direct Integration via Atlassian Automation
The recommended and most efficient method is to use the “Use Rovo Agent” action within an automation rule. This allows you to:

• Invoke a Rovo agent as part of an automation rule.
• Have the agent analyze issue data, generate a response, and insert that response as a comment on the Jira issue.
• Configure the rule so the comment appears as authored by the Rovo agent (not the rule actor).
• Use smart values (e.g., {{agent.response}}) to dynamically insert the agent’s output into the comment.

How to Set It Up:

1. Go to Project or Global settings > Automation.
2. Create a rule with your desired trigger (e.g., “Issue Created”).
3. Add the “Use Rovo Agent” action and provide a prompt (e.g., “Summarize the issue and suggest next steps”).
4. Add the “Add comment to issue” action and use {{agent.response}} as the comment content.
5. Choose the author for the comment (the agent or the rule creator).
6. Save and enable the rule.

Please find more details here.

2. How can I make the Rovo agent response include properly formatted, clickable links in Jira comments?

Jira Cloud supports two main formats for links in comments:

• Wiki Markup (classic editor):
  [Link Text|https://example.com]
• Markdown (new editor):
  https://example.com

Most modern Jira Cloud instances use the Markdown format, but Wiki Markup is still supported in some contexts.

When configuring the “Use Rovo Agent” action in your automation rule, add clear instructions in the agent’s prompt to format links using Markdown. For example:

“When referencing any URLs, please format them as clickable Markdown links, e.g., https://atlassian.com.”

Ensuring Proper Rendering in Jira Comments

• Test the output: After setting up your automation, trigger it and check the resulting comment. The links should appear as clickable text.
• If links are not clickable:
  • Double-check that the agent is outputting the correct Markdown or Wiki Markup syntax.
  • Ensure that the Jira comment field is not escaping or stripping the markup (this is rare in standard Jira Cloud).
• Avoid raw URLs: Always use the [text](url) or [text|url] format for best results.

Advanced: Forcing Consistent Formatting

If you want to ensure all links are always formatted, you can add a post-processing step in your automation (using smart values or custom scripting), but in most cases, a well-crafted prompt is sufficient.

3, Are there specific formatting requirements for links in {{agentResponse}} variables?

• No Special Escaping Needed:
  The {{agentResponse}} variable will render whatever formatting the agent outputs. For example, if the agent outputs [Atlassian](https://atlassian.com), it will appear as a clickable link in the comment.
• HTML is Not Supported:
  Do not use <a href="..."> HTML tags—these will not render as links in Jira comments.
• Consistent Formatting:
  Always instruct the agent (in your automation rule’s prompt) to use Markdown link syntax for all URLs.

You can also reach out to https://support.atlassian.com/contact/ rovo team to further help you out as well 

Thank you,

Prachi