How to change only the 2nd approver for specific ticket types in Jira?

Question

Subject:
How to change only the 2nd approver for specific ticket types in Jira?

Hello,

I would like to ask for help regarding approval settings in Jira.

Currently, tickets from certain request/issue types follow a multi-step approval process. We want to keep the 1st approver unchanged, but update only the 2nd approver due to a personnel change.

The goal is to change the approver setting for future incoming tickets of specific ticket types, not existing tickets that have already been created.

I have tried checking the Space settings, workflow, automation, and fields, but I am still having difficulty understanding where this configuration is managed or how to update it correctly.

Could you please advise:

* Where the 2nd approver setting can be changed for specific ticket/request types?

* Whether this is configured through workflow, automation, approval settings, or another area?

* The recommended way to update only the 2nd approver while keeping the 1st approver unchanged?

I am still a beginner with Jira administration, so I would greatly appreciate a detailed explanation or step-by-step guidance, if possible.

Thank you in advance for your help!

김소성_Wade__경영인프라팀_Dreamus · Answer

Hello,

I checked based on the information you provided, and I was able to resolve the issue successfully.

Thank you very much for your help and guidance. I really appreciate it!

Have a great day 🙂

Christos Markoulatos -Relational- · Answer

Hi @김소성_Wade__경영인프라팀_Dreamus

In Jira Service Management, each approval step is linked to its own custom field (e.g. "Approver 1" and "Approver 2"). To update only the 2nd approver, go to Project settings, then Request management, then Request types. Select the request type you want to update, open the Request form, find the field used for the 2nd approval step, and update the user under "Use preset value and hide from portal." Save, and all future tickets of that request type will use the new approver. Existing in-flight requests are not affected.

If you're unsure which field is tied to the 2nd approval step, go to Project settings, then Workflows, open the workflow in diagram view, and check which custom field is set as the approver source on the 2nd approval status. That tells you exactly which field to update on the request form.

Hope this helps!

Helpful links:

* https://support.atlassian.com/jira-service-management-cloud/docs/set-up-a-pre-set-list-of-approvers/
* https://support.atlassian.com/jira/kb/how-to-configure-default-approvers-for-request-types/