Prevent Ticket from being Done if any children are still open

[Lewkowicz_ Jennifer]

As said in title, I am trying to figure out the best way to handle this solution. I have been trying to do automation but I can't figure it out. The children items are not just sub-tasks. Some are defects, tasks, and stories. 

[Trudy Claspill · Accepted solution]

Hello @Lewkowicz_ Jennifer 

Welcome to the Atlassian community.

You cannot use an Automation Rule to block a workflow transition.

Automation Rules are triggered after an action occurs. You could use an Automation Rule to reopen the closed item - create a rule that detects the transition to Done and check if it has any not-Done children, and transition it to a not-Done status if that is the case.

If you want to block the transition from being done you need to add a Condition/Validator/Rule to the transition to determine if all the child issues are done. There are third party apps that can add capabilities to the workflows to detect that when the children are subtasks or other issue types. Or you can create a custom field in the parent that keeps track of how many not-Done children the item has. You would use an Automation Rule to keep that field up to date. Then your workflow transition would be customized to block the transition based on the state of that custom field.

[TCastro]

@Trudy Claspill 
The suggestion @Enric Font provide below is the function at hand.
However, let's add a scenario here:

- How will the user know they can't transition to Done if this Validation hides the Done if the subtasks aren't done?

We need to find a way to add an Error Message when user transition to Done and subtasks aren't closed.

Simply hiding the parent's Done status when child isn't done doesn't educate users, it gives an impression the tool isn't working as expected. Poor UX.

Any alternative solution for this situation?

Thank you

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @TCastro 

Welcome to the Atlassian community.

It appears you have started your own Question post on this topic here:

https://community.atlassian.com/forums/Jira-questions/Prevent-Parent-from-being-Done-if-any-children-are-still-open/qaq-p/3165409

If you think this post and responses from November are relevant to your topic I recommend that you add a link into your new post for this older post and discuss how it is relevant to your question.

[Enric Font]

Dear @Lewkowicz_ Jennifer 

For block ticket from being Done if any children are still open you must to add a Condition in the transition Workflow.

Jira Cloud has this tipy of condition by default.

In the workflow transition clic on + in the Rules and select Restrict based on the status of subtasks

Add the list of states that all children must be in for the task to be DONE.

Publish the workflow changes

[Trudy Claspill]

@Enric Font 

Your solution applies only when the children are subtasks.

You may have missed that the author specifically said that the case includes scenarios where the children are not subtasks.