Want to Copy Fix Versions from Epic to "Parent Link"

Question

We are using Advanced Roadmaps and have the following hierarchy:

* Capability* Epic* Story* SubTask

An Epic is related to a Capability using a "Parent Link".

I am interested in writing a schedule automation that, for each Capability, evaluates its Chlid Issues (which are Epics) and sets the FixVersion in Capability based upon the set of FixVersion assigned to all of its child Epics (and, of course, it is possible for an Epic to have multiple Fix Versions).

So, as an example, imagine we have Capability-123 which has 4 Child Epics

* CAPABILITY-123* EPIC-44 (FixVersion = "1.2.3")
* EPIC-45 (FixVersion = "4.5.6")
* EPIC-46 (FixVersion = "4.5.6", "4.5.7")
* EPIC-47 (FixVersion = <empty>)

After the job is run, I want CAPABILITY-123 to have FixVersion = "1.2.3", "4.5.6", "4.5.7".

So, I know for each Capability, I can use "Lookup Issues" to find its member Epics (using JQL "Parent Link" = {{triggerIssue.key}}.

Likewise, I know the resultant Smartvalue, {{lookupIssues.fixVersions.name}}, contains a list of the issues.

* [1.2.3], [4.5.6], [4.5.6, 4.5.7], []

But I wasn't clear how to use this to edit the Capability's Fix Version.  I tried using Advanced Branching, hoping it might iterate over each FixVersion in {{lookupIssues.fixVersions.name}}, but that didn't work.

Any ideas how to propagate the FixVersion "up" in the hierarchy (from the Epic to the Capability)?

P.S. - I know I can do this via a Trigger looking for Field Value Changed on the "Parent Link" field.  But...there are a bunch of corner cases (an Epic can be added to a Capability, an Epic can be removed from a Capability, the Fix Version on an Epic can be added/removed).  As such, I was hoping to just "roll up" the Fix Versions from the Epic to the Capability on a nightly basis.

Any ideas and/or suggestions would be deeply appreciated.

Thanks.

Doug Levitt_tunij3 · Answer

@Mark Chaimungkalanont

I tried the distinct function.  It didn't quite work on my use case.  As I had a Capability with 4 Epics (where each Epic was assigned to one or more Fix Versions).  I was unable to figure out how to get a single, unique list of Fix Versions across all 4 Epics.

Mark Chaimungkalanont · Answer

There is a "distinct()" function that you can use, as long as the underlying object is a list. Although, if the actual object aren't Strings underneath, mileage may vary. eg.

Doug Levitt_tunij3 · Answer

Hi @Jeffrey Bistrong

Thanks for sharing the link.  I had tried something similar, but that didn't work.

With that being said, I did figure out my problem with using Advanced Branching.  I was doing it wrong.  I needed to iterate over each FixVersion using {{lookupIssues.fixVersions}} and placing the array into a new Variable name (e.g thisFixVersions) and then referencing that using {{thisFixVersions.name}}.

Also, I figured out how to place the Fix Versions into a comma-separated list, removing the square brackets and removing the empty Fix Version.

As a result, from Capability-123 which has 4 Child Epics

* CAPABILITY-123* EPIC-44 (FixVersion = "1.2.3")
* EPIC-45 (FixVersion = "4.5.6")
* EPIC-46 (FixVersion = "4.5.6", "4.5.7")
* EPIC-47 (FixVersion = <empty>)

I was able to do the Advanced Branching on Smart Value = 1.2.3, 4.5.6, 4.5.6, 4.5.7

However, I am still having a problem.  As once I get into the Branch, I am trying to update CAPABILITY-123, by adding the Fix Version.  But this isn't working.  I think because each Branch is running in a separate thread and the threads are colliding with one another.  So, rather than ending up with CAPABILITY-123 having FixVersion of 1.2.3, 4.5.6, 4.5.7, it is somewhat randomly being assigned to only one of those values.  If I run the schedule automation again, another one gets added.

This leads me to my next question.  I don't need to store these values in the jira Fix Version field.  I could put them in another field.  However, I don't know how to unique that list.

Question - Does anyone know if it's possible (within Automation for Jira) to take a comma-separated list of values and unique that list.  So, in this case, it would only have "1.2.3, 4.5.6, 4.5.7".

I realize Automation for Jira is not a programming language.  I am just trying to think if there is a way to implement this requirement.

Thanks.