We normally allow project leads and certain users the ability to delete issues in Jira but recently we have had an outbreak of users deleting issues with time logged to them and that is a big issue so in the short term I have disabled the ability to delete cards for everyone. Long term possible solution is: * No one has the ability to delete. * We introduces a new status, To be Deleted, we allow project leads to move cards to this status. * When a card is moved to the To be Deleted Status automation runs a check on it and actions it depending on what it finds (picture below of the automation). * If it has timespent automation moves the card back to In Progress and emails the assignee letting them know that the card has timespent on it so we are unable to delete, contact the Jira team if you need more help. * If it has no timespent the automation deletes it. The issue is, what if this is a Story and the Subtask has time? So first thought was just use sigma timespent and that solves the issue, but after checking the automation possibilities and researching online I am finding that isn't possible. I also tried to have it check the subtask for matches with time, but this also doesn't seem possible. So the question would be, is there a way to have this automation also verify the Subtask doesn't have time as well before deleting?

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Jira Automation to Check Time in Story and Subtask before Deleting

Jason Krewson

We normally allow project leads and certain users the ability to delete issues in Jira but recently we have had an outbreak of users deleting issues with time logged to them and that is a big issue so in the short term I have disabled the ability to delete cards for everyone.

Long term possible solution is:

No one has the ability to delete.
We introduces a new status, To be Deleted, we allow project leads to move cards to this status.
When a card is moved to the To be Deleted Status automation runs a check on it and actions it depending on what it finds (picture below of the automation).
- If it has timespent automation moves the card back to In Progress and emails the assignee letting them know that the card has timespent on it so we are unable to delete, contact the Jira team if you need more help.
- If it has no timespent the automation deletes it.

Screenshot 2024-08-30 132401.png

The issue is, what if this is a Story and the Subtask has time?

So first thought was just use sigma timespent and that solves the issue, but after checking the automation possibilities and researching online I am finding that isn't possible.

I also tried to have it check the subtask for matches with time, but this also doesn't seem possible.

So the question would be, is there a way to have this automation also verify the Subtask doesn't have time as well before deleting?

Accepted answers

Trudy P Claspill

Hello @Jason Krewson

Yes!

After the trigger add a Lookup Issue action to search for subtasks under the trigger issue where the subtask has Timespent

Screenshot 2024-08-30 at 1.09.30 PM.png

(If this is for a Team managed project, use Subtask instead of Sub-task.)

Then in your IF-Else block in the first IF where you are checking for Timespent on the issue, change the condition set to be "Any of" and add this smart value condition

Screenshot 2024-08-30 at 1.12.32 PM.png

If any subtasks with Timespent are found, then the size of of result set in Lookup Issues will be greater than 0.

So if either a subtask has Timespent or the main issue has Timespent, transition the main issue back to In Progress.

All comments

Trudy P Claspill

Hello @Jason Krewson

Yes!

After the trigger add a Lookup Issue action to search for subtasks under the trigger issue where the subtask has Timespent

Screenshot 2024-08-30 at 1.09.30 PM.png

(If this is for a Team managed project, use Subtask instead of Sub-task.)

Then in your IF-Else block in the first IF where you are checking for Timespent on the issue, change the condition set to be "Any of" and add this smart value condition

Screenshot 2024-08-30 at 1.12.32 PM.png

If any subtasks with Timespent are found, then the size of of result set in Lookup Issues will be greater than 0.

So if either a subtask has Timespent or the main issue has Timespent, transition the main issue back to In Progress.

Jason Krewson

Thanks so much for the reply and help, I didn't think I would get a response so fast.

I have tested, below screenshot is the changes I made off your suggestion, and its still deleting the Story and Subtask when the Story has no time but each Subtask has 1 hour in it.

For testing I am doing 1 Story with no time that has 2 Subtasks with 1 hour each.

Screenshot 2024-08-30 154601.png

Maybe I did something incorrect?

This is Jira Cloud also, I forgot to mention this in my first post.

Trudy P Claspill

Hello @Jason Krewson

It looks like you are missing a curly brace before triggerIssue in the JQL also - there should be two curly braces.

Screenshot 2024-08-30 at 2.07.04 PM.png

After fixing that, please test it again.

If it still does not work correctly then there may be something else wrong with the JQL.

Is the project to which the rule applies a Company Managed project or a Team Managed project? The subtask issue type name in the Lookup Issues JQL needs to be correct for that project type.

Can you confirm that the Lookup Issues JQL is finding the subtasks by substituting the issue key of your test issue where the JQL currently has {{triggerIssue.key}}, and then click the Validate Query link below and to the right.

Screenshot 2024-08-30 at 2.10.42 PM.png

If that says there are 0 issue then you should go to the View All Issues page and work out the JQL details to make sure it is correct for retrieving the subtasks you expect. The only difference between the JQL there and in the rule would be the use of the smart value for the trigger issue key.

If it still doesn't work, please share new images of the changes you've made and share the rule execution log output

Jason Krewson

It seems to be this part that is causing the issue, moment I remove it I can validate the JQL query, if I leave it in I cannot click on validate query.

parent = {{triggerIssue.key}} and

This is a global rule but all our projects are company managed.

When I look through smart values, I cannot find {{triggerIssue.key}}.

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