How do I add a watcher to a newly created issue with Jira automation?

[YoonSeok Han]

I'm running two projects in Jira, and I have administrator permissions on both projects (let's call them A and B, respectively).
I've configured an automation so that when an issue is created in project A, the same issue is created in project B and a specific person is added to the watcher.
To summarise, I tried two different approaches, both of which failed. The automation configuration I tried is as follows

[case1]

When: Issue created

Then : Create a new Task in projectB

And : Add watchers (someone)

And : Send email

[case2]

When: Issue created

Then : Create a new Task in projectB

For Most recently created issue

    Then : add watchers (someone)

And : Send email

How can I register as a watcher on an issue in my newly created B project?

[Dilip]

Hi @YoonSeok Han 

Follow the below steps:

1. Create a Custom Field:

   • Navigate to Jira Administration > Issues > Custom fields.

   • Click Add custom field.

   • Choose User Picker (multiple user) from the Advanced tab.

   • Add this field to the Create Issue screens.

2. Create an Automation Rule:

   • Go to Jira Administration > Projects.

   • Select your project and navigate to Automation.

   • Click Create rule.

   • Set the trigger to Issue created and save it.

   • Add a new action by selecting Manage watchers.

   • Use the smart value {{ issue.<name_of_your_field> }} to specify the custom field you created (e.g., if your field is named "Add to watchers", use {{ issue.Add to watchers }}).

   • Save and turn on the automation rule.

3. Modify Notification Scheme:

   • Go to Jira Administration > Projects.

   • Select your project and navigate to Notifications.

   • Modify your scheme or create a new one by adding your new custom field to the Issue Created event.

By following these steps, users creating an issue in the modified project can add multiple users as watchers, who will then be notified via email when the issue is created

[YoonSeok Han]

Unfortunately, I'm seeing that I can't get to the Jira Administration page.... I can't click on that button and navigate...

[Piyush Annadate _ACE Pune_]

Hello @YoonSeok Han ,
Welcome to the Atlassian Community !
Also, the automation should have both projects; then you can add a condition between trigger and clone as project = <your required project>.
have you tried as below?

[YoonSeok Han]

I tried the method you suggested, but it still doesn't register as a watcher.

[Trudy Claspill]

The suggestion will not work if the rule is scoped only to project A (the project in which the trigger issue exists.

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @YoonSeok Han 

Welcome to the Atlassian community.

To edit an issue in another project you must create a rule where the Rule Scope is set to Multiple Projects, and you specify both project A and project B as in the scope. Multiple-project scoped rules can be created only by Jira Administrators.

If you have only Project Administration access then you can create a rule that can edit/change issues only in one project. The exception to that is that you can use the Create Issue and Clone Issue actions to create issues in other projects than the one project in your rule scope. You cannot use an Edit Issue action on an issue in another project in a rule that is scoped to a single project.

Have you tried setting the Watchers field within the Create Issue action? I'm not sure if that will work, but since you can set fields in the new issue in the destination project through the Create Issue action, you might give that a try.

[Trudy Claspill]

Also, can you provide the details from the rule execution Audit Log from when running the rule "failed"?

[YoonSeok Han]

In the audit log

"Branch rule / related issues
No related issues could be found."

All the rest are marked as Success except for

And I don't think I have permission to specify multiple projects in the rule scope. I am not able to modify the rule scope...

[Trudy Claspill]

If you are only a Project Admin you would not have permissions to create a rule scoped to multiple projects. You would need to work with your Jira Product Admins to get such a rule created.