Update Epic Link on all linked issues when Epic Link is changed.

Question

Hello all,

I am looking for a post-function/automation rule that allows me to change the Epic Link of all linked issues when the "parents" Epic Link is changed.

To give some context: we work with Epics, that are split into Features. Here is where the Feature acquires its Epic Link automatically. Features are split into Stories, but the link is made manually, so we had to implement some Automation rules that copy the Epic Link value from the Feature to the Story to have traceability when this connection is made.

Our problem is that when the Epic Link is changed on the Feature (maybe it has been connected to the wrong Epic or reprioritize into other Epic), we lose the traceability with the Stories linked to the Feature, because they don´t inherit the Epic Link changed. I am trying to implement an Automation Rule/ Post function that changes the Epic Link on the Linked Stories when the Epic Link on the Feature changes.

My first idea has been to make an action (transition to itself) in the Features workflow  with a screen that only has the field Epic Link. After this action is made and the Epic Link changed, I need some kind of Scriptrunner script postfunction that identify the linked stories and modifies their Epic Link accordingly.

Does anybody have any idea on how to implement this? Thanks in advance!

DIEGO NUÑEZ · Answer

Hello Trudy,

Thanks for your response!

We work with Jira Cloud.

For this manual Link between Feature and Story, we have created an special Link called "Story". The Outward description of the link is "Feature" and the Inward description is "Story". Therefore, when devs are working within the Feature, they create a link to a Story with the inward description of story, as if saying "this is a Story of this Feature". When the Devs are working on a Story and want to link it to a Feature, they create a Link with the Outward description "Feature", as if saying "this is the Feature that this story belongs to".

This Inward and Outward topic is important because it makes us have two Rules, one when the link is made Feature-->Story and other when Story-->Feature.

So the Rule for Link Feature-->Story is:

* When an Issue is Linked with the Link type Story
* Branch for Current Issue
* Edit Epic Link on the trigger issue (because in this link type, the trigger/inward is always the Story)

For the Story-->Feature Link is the same, but changing trigger/destination values:

Thanks a lot for your response, maybe you find a better way to make all the process.

With these 2 rules we have a lot done, but to close the circle we need the updates as well when the edition occurs.

Thanks in advance!

Regards, Diego

Trudy P Claspill · Answer

Hello @DIEGO NUÑEZ

Welcome to the Atlassian community.

Are you working with Jira Cloud or Jira Server/Data Center?

Can you show us the Automation rules that you have already that set the Epic Link on the linked Stories when the Epic Link is set on the Feature?

This will detect that the Epic Link field has been changed on the Feature when the Epic Link field was not originally blank.

You can then use a Branch to get the linked issues. Within the branch reset the Epic Link of the linked issues to {{#changelog.epic link}}{{toString}}{{/}}