How to have sub-tasks inherit Fix Version field from their parent ticket in JIRA Cloud

[Uliana Elliott]

I'm revisiting an old thread from 2017 but with a slightly different take, now specific to Jira Cloud.

I’ve successfully set up an automation rule that makes sub-tasks automatically inherit the Fix Versions field from their parent issue. This works as intended only if the Fix Versions field is visible on sub-tasks and present on the Edit screen.

The issue is: while the automation works, the field remains editable on the sub-task which I would like to avoid.

Is there a way in Jira Cloud to make the Fix Versions field read-only on sub-tasks, while still allowing it to inherit the value from the parent ticket via automation?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

[Izabela França · Accepted solution]

Hello @Uliana Elliott ,

I would suggest using operation screens to achieve that.

First, separate the sub-task screens by creating one for each operation (Create, View, and Edit). Then, remove the Fix Versions field from the Edit screen, but keep it on the Create and View screens. As a result, the field will be “read-only” for users, but the automation will still be able to update it.

Let me know if that works for you :)

[Uliana Elliott]

Hi Izabela,

Thanks a lot for your suggestion. This is exactly what I have: three screens for view, edit and create. 

However, once I remove Fix Versions field from the Edit screen, the automation rule failed with error:
Work item created16/11/2025, 19:24:37
Work item fields condition16/11/2025, 19:24:37
Edit work item16/11/2025, 19:24:37
Edited work item successfully, however some of the set fields aren't available. Fields ignored:
Fix versions (fixVersions)
No fields or field values to edit for work items (could be due to some field values not existing in a given project):
TEST-35

When I put back Fix Versions field to the Edit screen, my automation rule works but Fix Versions field is editable:
Work item created16/11/2025, 19:25:46
Work item fields condition16/11/2025, 19:25:46
Edit work item16/11/2025, 19:25:46

My automation rule looks like this.

What am I doing wrong?

[Matteo Vecchiato]

Hi @Uliana Elliott ,

As indicated in my other reply, in order to let the automation to set the field without having it in the Edit screen, it is required to set the actor of your automation  as "Automation for Jira"

[Izabela França]

Hello @Uliana Elliott ,

As @Matteo Vecchiato added, setting "Automation for Jira" as the actor might solve this problem.

Thank you @Matteo Vecchiato !

[Uliana Elliott]

Matteo, Izabela, super, thanks a lot. That is what was missed in my rule, the correct actor.

[Matteo Vecchiato]

Hi @Uliana Elliott 

Welcome to Atlassian community and thank you for your question.

As suggested by @Izabela França , you need to split the screens and set as the actor of your automation "Automation for Jira", otherways automation won't update the field.

Regards