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Automatically assign an issue to a sprint

Eddie Hobart

I'm trying to create an automation rule or something similar that automatically assigns a certain ticket type to an active sprint.

Specifically, the permissions setup we're working with prevents devs from adding tickets to the active sprint (the PO or SM has that power). However we have a ticket type "sprint defect" that by definition should be worked on in the same sprint period as it's created (devs can create tickets). Since the dev can't add the issue themself, there's a delay getting it into the sprint and on the active board.

I'm hoping that with the scenario below, it'll be possible to setup some sort of logic to achieve this.

1. Sprint Defects are created when a Story has a problem in testing
2. The Story is in an active sprint
3. The Sprint Defect will be linked to the Story
4. The Sprint Defect will be in the same active sprint as the linked Story

Given the linked relationship with a story that's already in an active sprint, is there something that can be setup to achieve step 4 without manual assignment?

Accepted answers

John Funk

Hi Eddie,

One option might be to create a manual automation rule that runs from the Story. You could let anyone run the rule and have a prompt for the summary and link it to the story.

Another option would be to create it as a sub-task under the Story.

A third option would be to automatically add it to the open Sprint when the Sprint Defect work item is created, but you would have to figure out how to link it to the appropriate story.

All comments

John Funk

Hi Eddie,

One option might be to create a manual automation rule that runs from the Story. You could let anyone run the rule and have a prompt for the summary and link it to the story.

Another option would be to create it as a sub-task under the Story.

A third option would be to automatically add it to the open Sprint when the Sprint Defect work item is created, but you would have to figure out how to link it to the appropriate story.

Eddie Hobart

Hi John,

Thanks for suggesting some ideas.

1. So, a manual trigger could be setup and that rule would bypass the permissions and allow a dev to have the defect be assigned to a sprint? How does that work?

2. Sub-task won't work for my situation, but thanks.

3. How does the automation script know what sprint to add it to? There is more than one active sprint in Jira (other projects). Linking the issue is done manually already without issue.

Bill Sheboy

Hi @Eddie Hobart

Yes, and...to the suggestions from @John Funk

Do you have multiple active sprints at the same time in the same project? If so, an automation rule could be triggered on linking the "Sprint Defect" to the Story (assuming those are the specific work item types involved) and then use list filtering on the Story's sprint field to find the correct one to use.

For example:

{{#issue.sprint}}{{#if(equals(state, "active"))}}{{id}}{{/}}{{/}}

Kind regards,
Bill

Wajdi from VIP.LEAN Solutions

@Eddie Hobart

Yes, this can be done, and I’ve just tested a working setup.

There are different ways to solve this. In my case, I’m using an automation rule, and it works very well.

In my setup, the Bug is linked to the Story it originated from, and the automation uses that relationship to retrieve the sprint.

To make that easy, I used our Marketplace app’s Create a Link action (Disclaimer: we are the vendor of this app). It allows users to create the Bug directly from the Story, while automatically creating the issue link at the same time. It can also prefill fields such as the description....(unfortunately, sprint is NOT supported by Atlassian in the behaviour context):
Screenshot 2026-04-20 at 21.26.44.png

Screenshot 2026-04-20 at 21.29.33.png

That said, this is just the approach I tested. The link could also be created in a different way without apps.

Once the Bug has been created and linked to the Story, the automation rule takes over: it reads the sprint from the linked Story and automatically assigns the same sprint to the Bug.

Here is the automation rule screenshot:

Screenshot 2026-04-20 at 21.30.17.png

Screenshot 2026-04-20 at 21.30.51.png

I hope that helps you.

Cheers, Wajdi

John Funk

1. When the automation rule is executed is runs as the Actor you have selected. If you leave it as Automation for Jira, then is runs as the addons permission and executes fine, regardless of the permissions the person who executed the manual rule has.

2. No worries

3. See Bill's answer.

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