Importing "Unassgined" Issues From CSV

[Alex Basile]

Is there a way to Bulk Upload issues from a CSV where the Assignee is "Unassigned"?

If this field is left blank, then the assignee is "Automatic" and the issue will be assigned to someone based on automation rules.

However, I'm looking for a way to upload issues to the backlog so that they are not assigned to anyone until sprint planning occurs.

Thanks!

[Trudy Claspill · Accepted solution]

What about deactivating your Automation rules while you are executing the import?

What is triggering the automation that is causing the assignee to be set?

[Alex Basile]

I've got an automation rule in the project on which I'm an admin that prevents this from happening, but I don't have control over other project automation rules. Can't turn them on/off or modify :/

[Trudy Claspill]

I'm unclear about the intent of the automation.

If it is appropriate for the issues to be unassigned, then why is the automation configured in such a way that it is automatically setting the Assignee for issues in the backlog?

If the intent of the automation is to set the Assignee always, even for new issues added to the backlog, then why are you trying to circumvent that?

[Alex Basile]

On the project that I'm having the issue with, there are some issues that are meant to be assigned to specific users and others that should be left "Unassigned".

The automation rule is in place to make sure that the reporter either chooses a specific user or specifically marks the issue as "Unassigned", rather than ignoring the "assignee" field altogether.

If the field is ignored (left in "Automatic"), then the issue gets assigned to the project admin, then they receive a notification and follow up with the reporter to see where the issue is supposed to go.

[Trudy Claspill]

Ok, now I understand.

Looking at this issue

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRACLOUD-71877

...it seems like you should be able to specify "unassigned" as the Assignee in the CSV file, and if you use the import functionality available to JIRA Administrators then it should work.

If you are not a JIRA Administrator, then it appears there is no way to force it to be Unassigned in your case, with the automation rule running.

[Alex Basile]

I'm a Project Admin, not a Jira Admin, so my importer is slightly different. The importer won't pass any non-numeric values through that field (it has to be a user id or the issue will bounce).

Sounds like I need to talk to the other Project Admin about their automation rules!

Thanks : )

[resfulany]

Try this: _unassigned_

[S Fong]

I found the same issue which I want to leave the assignee [blank] but it went to me instead after I upload the CSV file.  I don't have any automation rule created for this and I believe that it is default from Atlassian.  Does anyone know a way to bypass it so I can upload with [blank] assignee?

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @S Fong 

Are you using the import available to Jira Administrators (through Settings > System > External System Import) or the import available on the Search Issues screen?

Refer to this issue: https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRACLOUD-71877

It seems that if you are using the import through the Search Issue page, you cannot import the issues with no Assignee.

You would need to have a Jira Administrator import the issues through External System Import, it appears.

[S Fong]

I am a Jira Administrator and use CSV import via Advanced Search Issue screen.  So if I use External System Import, then I can have [blank] assignee mapped?  Thanks for the insight.  

[Nagyné Széles]

Exactly the same situation here, as admin, importing from csv through the External Sytem import from admin (and not the issues page import from a project). I tried "unassigned" as reporter, but it still puts the reporter on me. 

[Trudy Claspill]

@Nagyné Széles 

You have mentioned two different things - Assignee and Reporter.

This thread is about ensuring that the Assignee field is set to Unassigned, not about the Reporter field.

Please clarify your issue. If your issue is indeed about the Assignee field, please let us know if you have any Automation Rules that are filling in the Assignee field automatically for newly created issues. Check the history on the issues to see the data on when the Assignee field got set and by whom.

If your issue is about the Reporter field, then be advised that the Reporter field is not allowed to be blank. If you don't explicitly specify a Reporter in your import data, then the Reporter will be set to the person executing the Import process.

[Nagyné Széles]

Yes, thank you, I realised in the meantime, that reporter can not be blank, I confused it with the unassigned, it should be unreported lol, thank you for you answer anyway, I made my peace with the fact that all imported tasks will be reported by me in our new Jira :) Have a lovely day!