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How to create an automation rule to add days to a date field?

Shahriar

Hi,

I have the following date fields:

Target start
Target Discovery End Date

I am trying to create a very simple value change automation.

When I change or set a date in the "Target start" field, I would like the "Target Discovery End Date" field to display a date that is 3 days later than the date in the "Target start" field.

I am using the following Smart values expression, but it is not working:

{{issue.Target start.plusBusinessDays(3)}}

What am I doing wrong? What is the correct way to write this expression?

Scenario or example:
If I add or change the "Target date" to 11/10/25
I want the "Target Discovery End Date" to display 11/13/25

They are both date fields.

Thanks,
Shahriar

Accepted answers

Bill Sheboy

Hi @Shahriar

When the advanced planning / roadmap fields (e.g., Target start) are supplied to automation rules, I believe they are plain text. They must be converted with the toDate function for use with the date / time functions:

{{issue.customfield_13205.toDate.plusBusinessDays(3)}}

Kind regards,
Bill

All comments

Gor Greyan

Hi @Shahriar

Thanks for the question.

Try to find the customfield ID for the Target start field and use this expression.

{{issue.customfield_12345.plusDays(3)}}

Also,

.plusDays() → adds calendar days
.plusBusinessDays() → adds business days

Let me know, if this worked or not.

Shahriar

Hi @Gor Greyan ,

Thank you so much for your response. Unfortunately, that didn't work. I tried it using the custom field ID before, and I tried it after you sent it by copying and pasting the expression. It doesn't change the value for the "Target Discovery End Date" field. I am attaching some screenshots to show you what I have. Please try it on your end and see if it works for you. Thank you.

Screenshot 2025-11-13 at 9.07.56 AM.png Screenshot 2025-11-13 at 9.08.59 AM.png

Bill Sheboy

Hi @Shahriar

{{issue.customfield_13205.toDate.plusBusinessDays(3)}}

Kind regards,
Bill

Shahriar

Hi @Bill Sheboy ,

That worked! You are awesome! Thank you so much, Sir.

I didn't know we had to add "toDate function" for such types of fields that come with JIRA Plan, aka Advanced Planning and roadmap.

Thank you so much for your help!

- Shahriar

Shahriar

Hi @Bill Sheboy ,

Looks like I have run into another problem with this. I created an additional date field called "Target Define End Date", which I want to display 3 business days after the previous date field, "Target Discovery End Date", but it is not adding correctly. Sometimes it is showing a day before or a day after.

Target Discovery End Date = customfield_19809

Here are two examples,

Example 1

I set the "Target start" to 13/Jan/26.

Using the expression {{issue.customfield_13205.toDate.plusBusinessDays(3)}}
The "Target Discovery End Date" displays 16/Jan/26, which is correct.

Using the expression {{issue.customfield_19809.plusBusinessDays(3)}}
The "Target Define End Date" displays 20/Jan/26, which is not correct; it should display 21/Jan/26

Example 2

I set the "Target start" to 12/Jan/26.

The "Target Discovery End Date" displays 15/Jan/26, which is correct.

The "Target Define End Date" displays 21/Jan/26, which is not correct; it should display 20/Jan/26

Can you please help me understand why this is happening and what I need to change?

I didn't add the "toDate" for the next expression because that is only for the roadmap field "Target start".

Thanks,

Shahriar

Bill Sheboy

Please add some Log actions to the rule to confirm what is in the smart values for the fields before changing them. For example:

action: Log, with this expression...

Target Discovery End Date = {{issue.customfield_19809}}

Next, what I believe is happening is you are changing one field, then trying to use the updated value in a later rule step. When you want to do that, the rule needs to add a Re-fetch Issue Data action to reload the information. For example:

...
action: edit issue, to update the "Target Discovery End Date"
action: re-fetch issue data
action: edit issue, to update the "Target Define End Date" (based upon the earlier change)
...

After doing that...please post an image of your current, complete rule and the audit log details showing the rule execution. Thank you!

Gor Greyan

Hi @Shahriar

I could see above that @Bill Sheboy provided the solution.

That's great, thanks!

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