Help! I changed the workflow for multiple projects instead of just the one I wanted

[Tzirel Shaffren]

We have multiple projects that share a single workflow. I will call the workflow "SharedWF". I created a Sandbox Project and used that shared workflow.

I wanted to change the workflow on the sandbox project. Somehow I managed to change the workflow on all the projects that used the Shared WF.

This is what I did:

1. I made a copy of SharedWF, and made all kinds of changes to transitions. (I believe I saved, or Published)
2. I went to Gear > Issues > Screens > copied the Shared  Screen
3. I went to Gear > Issues > Screens Scheme and copied the Screen Scheme
4. I went to Gear > Issues > Issue Type Screen Scheme > Add > Clicked on 

   Associate an issue operation with a screen and chose my copied screen

5. I went to Gear > Projects > 3 dots next to my project > Project Settings > Workflow Schemes > Edit > Add Workflow > Add Existing > and then selected my new Workflow (for all the issue types)
6. Publish > Associate

I obviously did something wrong because all the projects that shared that Workflow now have my new workflow.

I even took a screenshot that shows that the Screen Scheme was associated with the sandbox project. I can't figure out how to attach the screenshot to my question.

Can anyone help? 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

That's what the "shared" in "share a workflow" means - there's one workflow and many projects use it.

So if you change it, all projects using it will be affected.

The workflow schemes are the same - they are shared, so changing one of them changes all the projects that use it.

Fortunately, you got half of it spot on, so there is little damage, and it's really easy to fix.

First, change the workflow scheme back to what it was before.  This gets you back to a working system, without anything using your new workflow.

Second copy the workflow scheme, and edit the copy such that it uses your new workflow.

Now associate that workflow scheme with your test project.

You've now isolated that project's workflow away from the old projects, so you can edit your new workflow and have no effect on the other projects.

[Tzirel Shaffren]

Thank you so much! I will try it.

[Tzirel Shaffren]

@Nic Brough -Adaptavist- I tried to figure out myself how to do what you said, but I got lost. Would you be able to spoonfeed me? I think my instructions were good up until step 4, is that correct? Could you please walk me through what I should do next?

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

I can try, but I don't know where you are stuck.

I'll start in the middle, so we can go backwards or forwards depending on where you are stuck.  Do you have a new workflow scheme?  Could you share it with us?  (The text is fine - just "default = workflow 1.  Bug, Story, and Feature, are associated with workflow 2.  Epic workflow 3.  Testing-things, workflow 4.  And so on)