Automation - logging a list of issues - Same results, different order for each run

Question

Hi all,

I am printing a list of issues into an automation audit log. Why aren't my results printing in alphabetical order by assignee name?

The automation does the below:

* Looks up issues based on a filter
* Ensures the list of issues in the filter is larger than 0
* Branch based on issues in the same filter
* Log a list of the issues (with issue key and assignee)

The filter I reference is ordered by assignee first

Here are my audit log results where results are not printed in order by assignee

Christy Kennedy · Answer

Hi @Bill Sheboy - ah that makes sense. Will see what I can do here to fix it!

Anthony Morais · Answer

Hi @Christy Kennedy

The reason your audit log isn’t printing in alphabetical order is because filter = XYZ does not preserve the ORDER BY clause inside the Automation rule.
When Automation resolves the filter, the results come back unordered, even if the saved filter itself is sorted in the Issue Navigator.

To fix this, you just need to replace the filter reference with the full JQL, including your ORDER BY assignee ASC clause, directly inside the Lookup issues action.

I tested this out and it worked!

Hope it helps!

Bill Sheboy · Answer

Hi @Christy Kennedy

While the work items in your Lookup Work Items result are in the order the filter returned, a branch processes in parallel and asynchronously.  Thus, the logging order is undefined with a JQL branch.

You could remove the branch and write the information with a single log write using the lookup results to preserve the order:

The ordered list is:
{{#lookupIssues}}
* {{key}} -- {{assignee.displayName}}; 
{{/}}

Unfortunately, you cannot add line breaks to the log, so they will appear as a long string.

Kind regards,
Bill