SmartValues - Boolean Evaluation Breaks when Embedded in IF conditional

Question

When using SmartValues in an automation (trying to make a dynamic comment depending on IF conditionals), I am having issues with a function chain which returns true, not working properly when I embed that function chain into an IF block.

Example:
Test: {{sprint.endDate.minusBusinessDays(5).isBefore(now)}}

Output (validated via Log Action):
Test: true

Failing example:
Test Fail: {{#if(sprint.endDate.minusBusinessDays(5).isBefore(now))}}TRUE{{/}}

Output (validated via Log Action), no text logged, expected "TRUE":
Test Fail:

Something about putting the function chain here is not working with IF, but all examples in docs I can find seem to do this without issue. Help?

Bill Sheboy · Answer

Thanks for the additional information.

For the scheduled trigger scenario you describe, I recommend first writing a JQL expression to find your work items.  Once that works, you may test it with a rule.

For example, for a company-managed project with a single Scrum board, to find the work items in the active sprint try this using the openSprints() function:

project = yourProjectName AND sprint IN openSprints() ORDER BY key ASC

Kevin Altman · Answer

Thanks, sorry I thought I gave enough context (my log action was the only action in my automation), but the trigger seems relevant too. This is intended to be scheduled daily to check for items in an active sprint and then do some actions, just trying to get the filtering working first.

Bill Sheboy · Answer

When the rule trigger is sprint-related, there is a single value in {{sprint}} including all of its properties (e.g., endDate).

* https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/jira-automation-triggers/#Sprint-created--started--or-completed
* https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/jira-smart-values-development/#--sprint--

When a work item is in scope in the rule, it contains {{issue.sprint}} and that is a list of all of the sprints to which the work item has been assigned.  This may be confirmed using this documentation, how-to article to find the supported smart values for a specific work item: https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/find-the-smart-value-for-a-field/

To learn more about handling lists and list fields in rules, please see this information: https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/jira-smart-values-lists/

Please note well: when a rule only references {{sprint}} it may actually resolve to {{issue.sprint}} and thus the rule structure is key to understanding which objects are involved: a single sprint, a specific work item's sprints, or a list-of-lists with work items' sprints (i.e., with Lookup Work Items results).

Again, without seeing your rule specifics, we could assume the following:

GIVEN a work item
AND it has been assigned to one or more sprints, including the active one
WHEN something happens
THEN return the endDate of the active sprint for additional calculations

There are many ways to find that date, including iterating the sprints in the work item, filtering by the state:

This would return one date or null, and is best stored in a Created Variable for later use and to help diagnose rule problems.