"Link work items" not creating the relationship between trigger issue and newly created issue

Question

I have an automation rule that:

* Triggers when an issue transitions from one status to another
* Creates a new issue in a different project
* Uses "Link work items" to link the two issues

The "Link work items" action is configured with link type "causes" and "Trigger work item" as the target. The rule runs without errors, but no link is actually created between the two issues.

I also tried changing the target to "Previously created work item", but that option does not seem to work either.

What I expected: A link to appear on both issues connecting them.
What happened: No link is created. Both issues remain unrelated.

Has anyone successfully linked a trigger issue to a newly created issue in the same rule? What configuration worked for you?

James Gamble · Answer

Hola Lara,

I think the easiest way to do this is to set the link while creating the new work item, rather than adding a separate “Link work items” action afterward.

In the Create work item action, expand the fields and add the Linked Issues field. Then set the link type, for example, “causes” or the matching inward/outward wording, and set the linked item to Trigger work item.

That should create the new work item and link it back to the original item in the same step. The screenshot above, shared by Aaron, is a good example of that setup, with Linked Issues added directly in the Create work item action.

If you still want to use a separate Link work items action, I’d do it inside a branch for the newly created item:

Create work item > Branch rule / related work items: Most recently created work item > Inside that branch, add Link work items and link it to the Trigger work item.

Atlassian has a KB that shows this branch approach for linking a newly
created item back to the trigger item: https://support.atlassian.com/jira/kb/create-linked-issues-with-non-required-custom-fields-using-automation/

Also, make sure the automation rule scope includes both projects, since you’re creating the new item in a different project. If the rule is only scoped to the trigger project, the create step may work in some cases, but linking across projects can behave oddly.

I’d also double-check the link direction. Jira link types have inward and outward names, so with a type like “causes,” the wording can look reversed depending on which side of the relationship you create it from. The link should still appear on both work items, but the label may read differently on each side.

Thanks,

James

Arkadiusz Wroblewski · Answer

Hello @Lara Sousa

One thing that often trips people up here is how Jira handles a rule's context. Even after a "Create work item" action runs, the main automation path keeps focusing on the trigger work item, not the new one you just made.

Please share your Automation here and we can go From there.

Best,

Arkadiusz🤠

Aaron Pavez _ServiceRocket_ · Answer

Hi @Lara Sousa

Can you send us a screenshot of the automation you've created so far?

Also, anything in the error log?

This is what  ive created and it works:

Regards