Copy fix version for issue type back to parent (initiative level if possible)

[Douglas Bliss]

Would like to be able tie the fix version of stories back to their parent (would prefer to do at initiative level, not epic), so that I can have a view of all initiatives that had releases at any given time.  

Any automation that could help with this? 

[Andy Heinzer · Accepted solution]

Hi Douglas,

I understand that you want to be able to copy the fix version from a story issue type, back to the parent issue.  For stories, the parent would be the Epic.  The initiative would be more like a grandparent.

What you could do would be to create an automation rule like this:

In this rule, anytime the fix Version field changes for any issues (except subtasks), that fix Version value will be added back to the parent issue.  This will copy the values as they change in the child issues, up to the parent issues.

You could even then go as far as to edit the Rule Details, and check the box called 

Allow rule trigger

Check to allow other rule actions to trigger this rule. Only enable this if you need this rule to execute in response to another rule.

This way the automation copying this value from a Story to an Epic, can then be triggered again to copy from Epic to Initiative.  One thing to watch out for here is that Epics can live in separate projects from the issues in an epic.  Because of that, this kind of automation rule can have limitations if the automation rule is created within a specific project.  While project specific automation rules have unlimited executions, global rules count towards your usage limits.  More details in How is my usage calculated?

[Douglas Bliss]

Hey Andy!

Thanks a lot for your response.  

When the automation triggers the Fix Version to be updated on the parent, will that still allow for any Fix Version that is already on the parent to persist?

The reason I ask is because we could have several releases for each Initiative.  But want to be able to pull in all stories tied to a particular release at the Initiative level.  I'm wondering if every time the rule triggers and updates the Fix Version, will it delete any Fix Version that is already present at the Initiative level?  If so, that wouldn't allow me to see all stories for in an Initiative for a particular Fix Version.

I'm new to this, so please feel free to tear that logic apart.  

Thank you! 

Douglas 

[Andy Heinzer]

If your automation rule looks exactly like mine, then yes, the fix versions on the parent issue will persist when that field is changed on the child issue.  However when you set this up, within the edit issue action there are different options for how a value can be copied. 

For fields like fix version, which are arrays, you have different options to Set Value for the field (which overwrites existing values) or Copy from which can then have the option to Add to existing values, like in this screenshot:

I hope this helps.

Andy

[Douglas Bliss]

Hey Andy!

Thank you so much; your help has been timely and spot on!  

Look forward to learning more from you in the future.

Thanks again!

Douglas