We can to automate the functionality epic automatically open once any child is re-open

Question

Hi Team,

We have already implemented an automation that automatically transitions an Epic to Done once all of its child issues are in Done status.

We now require an enhancement for the reverse scenario.

Current Automation

* If all child issues (story/task/bug) under an epic are transitioned to done, the epic is automatically transitioned to done.

New Requirement

If an epic is already in 'Done' status and any one of its child issues is reopened (e.g., moved from 'Done' to 'In Progress', 'To Do', or 'Reopened'), the epic should automatically transition back to 'Open'/'Reopened'.

Expected Flow

* Epic is in Done status.
* A child issue is reopened.
* The automation identifies the parent Epic.
* If the epic is in Done, it is automatically transitioned to Open/Reopened.

Request for Confirmation

Could you please confirm the following?

* Whether this automation is supported in Jira Cloud Premium using native automation?
* What is the recommended automation configuration for this scenario?
* Are there any prerequisites, such as a workflow transition from Done to Open/Reopened, for this to work?

James Gamble · Answer

Hola Jyoti,

Yes, this should be supported with native Jira Automation in Cloud Premium.

The main thing to check first is the Epic workflow. Automation can only move the Epic from Done back to Open/Reopened if that transition actually exists in the Epic’s workflow. If there is no transition out of Done, the rule can be built, but it will fail when it tries to move the Epic.

* Create a rule with the trigger “Work item transitioned.”
* Set it to run when a child work item moves from Done to one of your reopened statuses, such as To Do, In Progress, or Reopened.
* Add a condition so the rule applies only to the child types you use under Epics, such as Story, Task, or Bug.
* Then add a branch for the parent/Epic. Inside that branch, add a condition that the Epic status is Done, then add the action to transition the Epic to Open or Reopened.

Atlassian’s branching documentation is useful for this part: https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/branch-automation-rules-to-perform-actions-on-related-issues/

I’d test it with one Epic and one child work item first, then check the automation audit log. That will usually show whether the rule found the parent Epic and whether the Epic transition was allowed by the workflow.

Thanks,

James

Maya Lindholm · Answer

Hi Jyoti,

Yes, this is supported with native Jira Automation in Jira Cloud Premium, as long as the Epic workflow has a valid transition from Done back to Open/Reopened/In Progress.

I would configure it roughly like this:

1. Trigger: Issue transitioned

2. From status category: Done

3. To status category: not Done

4. Condition: Issue type is Story, Task, or Bug

5. Branch rule / related issues: Parent or Epic

6. Condition inside the branch: Epic status is Done

7. Action: Transition the Epic to Open/Reopened

The important prerequisite is the workflow transition on the Epic itself. Automation can only use a transition that the workflow allows. If Done has no transition back to Open/Reopened, the rule will fail in the audit log.

I would also add a short comment in the Epic, for example:

"Reopened automatically because a child issue was moved out of Done."

That makes the change easier to understand later when someone checks the Epic history. Before enabling it broadly, test with one Epic and one child issue and check the automation audit log for the exact transition name Jira expects.

Julien Morel_fbmylg · Answer

Yes, this is supported with native Jira Automation, as long as the Epic workflow has a valid transition from Done back to Open/Reopened.

A typical rule would be:

1. Trigger: Issue transitioned

- From: Done

- To: the statuses you consider reopened, for example To Do, In Progress, or Reopened

2. Condition: Issue fields condition

- Issue type is one of Story, Task, Bug, or the child issue types you use under Epics

3. Branch: Parent or Epic

- In newer Jira Cloud projects I would first try Parent, because Epic relationships are part of the issue hierarchy.

- If the rule does not find the Epic in your project type, test the Epic-related branch option available in your rule builder.

4. Condition inside the branch:

- Status equals Done

5. Action inside the branch:

- Transition issue to Open or Reopened

The main prerequisite is the workflow transition. If there is no transition from Done to Open/Reopened for the Epic issue type, Automation cannot move it there. Also check that the automation actor has permission to transition the Epic, and that the rule scope includes both the child issue project and the Epic project if they can differ.

I would test it with one Epic and one child issue first, then check the rule audit log. The audit log will usually show quickly whether the branch found the parent Epic, whether the status condition matched, or whether the transition was blocked by the workflow.