How do you automate the editing of the start and due date field on an issue when changing status?

[Jordan Trinklein]

We're trying to use advanced roadmaps more and have the feature toggled on that dynamically changes the epic done date based on when the child issues in the epic are slated to be worked in a sprint.

The problem is that we have a couple kanban teams as well, and we can't dynamically track the epic due date unless the child issues have dates in them. I wanted to create an automation rule that automatically assigns a start date to an issue when it's transitioned from To Do to In Progress and a due date when it's transitioned form In QA to Done using the smart value of {{now}} to add today's date, but that doesn't seem to be working. 

Does anyone have experience with doing something like this? Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

[John Funk · Accepted solution]

Hi Jordan,

What is not working with your rule? Can you share the rule here? 

[Jordan Trinklein]

You bet! I made it pretty simple, so it's likely I'm doing it wrong, but here's what I have:

When: Issue Transitioned

From: To Do

To: In Progress

THEN

Edit issue fields: Start Date

With: {{now}}

[John Funk]

And do you get an error in the audit log? Or it doesn't fire? Or it doesn't populate the field with the now date? 

[Jordan Trinklein]

It just doesn't populate the field with the now date

[John Funk]

Hmm, that's strange. Can you share an actual screenshot of the entire rule? And the audit log section where it runs? 

[Jordan Trinklein]

It did throw this error in the audit log, but I have Start Date in the issue template.

[John Funk]

So that's an issue if you have two fields named the same thing. The system field is Start date with lowercase d. Did you add a new field called Start Date with uppercase? 

If so, for testing purposes, edit the custom field and add a period at the end and save it. It should look like Start Date.

Then give it another test. 

[Jordan Trinklein]

Looks like we do have 2 custom fields called Start Date. One is locked due to a plugin. 

[John Funk]

Yep, that's your problem. Jira doesn't know which one to deal with. Can you change the plugin one? Or even get rid of it since there is already one by that name? 

[Jordan Trinklein]

It doesn't let me delete it or alter it. It says its locked by Jira and I'm not allowed to alter its configuration. 

[John Funk]

What about the plugin date?

[Jordan Trinklein]

Are you talking about the other Start Date field? I can move that to trash. 

[John Funk]

Do it!  :-)  But you need to move data out of it first if there is something in there and not the system Start date field. 

[Jordan Trinklein]

I'm not sure I follow what you mean by moving data out of it. It's not associated to any screens, so would I be safe to trash it? 

[Jordan Trinklein]

I deleted the unlocked Start Date and retested. It worked as it should. Thanks for the help! 

[John Funk]

Great! Glad you got that worked out.