How to make old issues use new workflow steps?

Question

I created dozens of tickets on a workflow, then I changed the workflow, and even though new tickets show the new buttons for the new workflow, all old tickets don't show any of the new steps, and this is causing a lot of confusion.

How do I get old issues/tickets to use new workflow steps? I didn't delete and create a new workflow. I only added new steps and transitions.

Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Answer

Ok, that does make it more simple, but it means that your issue all have the new steps.

There should be a "view workflow" button underneath the status when you look at individual issues - but you might not have the right to use it - have a look in the permission scheme for "view workflow" permissions and think about adding it.

Anyway, that's an aside - if you definitely know you only have one workflow, the next thing to do is still check all the transition conditions.  When you say "my steps are missing", I am assuming you mean that you are not offered the workflow transitions you expect, so that's what we need to look at.

Chris Spencer · Answer

As I said, I'm not mixing workflows. I only have a single workflow. And how do you look at the workflow viewer for a specific issue? I'm an admin, and I don't see any button or link with that label on an issue.

Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Answer

They will be using them.  JIRA simply can't have a project using a mix of workflows on the same issue types, it doesn't happen unless you hack the database directly, and then it falls over in a steaming heap.

First thing to do is look at the workflow viewer on one of the old issues.  Is it showing the right diagram?

Secondly, for the "missing" steps and transitions, look at  the workflow scheme to establish which workflow is definitely for that issue type.  Then look at where the issue is in the workflow (i.e. what is the status) and check exactly what the current workflow says for all the outgoing transitions.  Are the conditions correct?  Do your users match them?