Is there anything that Jira automation can do with number processing?

Question

Hi all,

We have tasks which are automatically created when a new line is added in Excel (using Zapier). One of the fields input into Excel is Record ID and usually looks something like A01723, and this number is pulled into the Jira task summary as well as a separate custom field. We also have auto-allocation rules in place to assign these tasks to users in a role upon creation.

Sometimes if there's multiple Excel records for the same customer, the Record ID will be A01723/001, A01723/002 etc. We would like to make it so these tasks are assigned to the same user, which would be based off the first 6 characters of the Record ID.

Any automation help at all would be massively appreciated!

Daniel Eads · Answer

Thanks for your patience, I was out a few days! For the purposes of this example, I am assuming your custom field for the record is called recordID. Given this is a fairly long/complicated rule to set up, you can download the rule here and then just import this rule into your own instance (rule import/export instructions here).

The first part isn't so tricky:

* Trigger: Issue Created
* Action: Create Variable* Variable Name: multi
* Smart value: null

* Action: Create Variable* Variable Name: multiassignee
* Smart value: null

So far so good! Now to the first If block:

* Action: If/else block* Condition type: Advanced compare
* First value: {{recordID}}
* Condition: contains
* Second value: /

There are a few different ways you can test for a multipart record based on your format of "A12345/001" - this is the simplest :)

* Action: Create variable* Variable Name: multi
* Smart value: {{issue.recordID.split("/").first}}

Here we fall back on using the / character to denote a duplicate row/record. The advantage of using the split and first vs something like a string index is that it will scale up, should your records ever be more than 6 characters in the future (or if the format otherwise changes somehow)

* Action: Lookup issues* JQL: recordID ~ "{{multi}}*" and issuekey != {{issue.key}}

Here we look for other previously-created issues with the same recordID so we can get the assignee

* Action: Create variable* Variable Name: multiassignee
* Smart value: {{lookupIssues.assignee.first}}

The lookup issues function returns an array; we need to use .first here to get a single user value. If there's no previously created issue (e.g. this issue is /001 and there's nothing before it), this value becomes Empty (the value, not the word 'empty')

Now, on to the second If/else block!

* Action: If/else block* Condition type: Advanced compare
* First value: {{multi}}
* Condition: does not equal
* Second value: null

* Condition type: Advanced compare
* First value: {{multiassignee}}
* Condition: does not equal
* Second value: <leave this blank>

* Action: Assign issue* Assign issue to: Smart value
* User: {{multiassignee}}

* Else
* Action: Assign issue* I've put Automatic here, but this is the point where you put in any existing assignment rules you have already.

And there you have it! Again, given the rule complexity, I do advise downloading the JSON from here , importing it, and then updating steps 4 and 6 with your custom field name, then modifying step 11 for your normal assignment rules.

Callum Carlile _Automation Consultants_ · Answer

Hey @Daniel Eads, are the any updates on the above? Really keen to see how this rule will work :)

Callum Carlile _Automation Consultants_ · Answer

Hi @Daniel Eads, thanks for your reply - you're spot on with your description, this sounds exactly what we're looking for :)