Use JIRA automation to create epic with issues

[Malvina Garnier]

I set up a JIRA Automation rule in order to automatically create epic & issues when some personalized fields are filled. Please see below the rule. 

On the else / if part of the rule, I create first an epic and then a ticket. I would like this ticket to have the previous created epic as epic link. How could I do so ?

[Malvina Garnier · Accepted solution]

I finally found a solution 👏

[Jeff Pittman]

EUREKA!!!!!

[Shilin Zheng]

Hi, following the guide by @Malvina Garnier I am able to set up the rules, however, what if I want the first created issue to be under the epic created after, how should I do it? It seems I cannot just edit the issue type to Epic. 

[Bill Sheboy]

Hi @Shilin Zheng 

Would you please clarify what you are trying to accomplish?

1. Create an issue like a story, create an epic, and then link the first issue as a child of the epic
2. Change the type of a created issue in a rule
3. Something else?

If you want to do the second one (i.e., issue type change, I would recommend not doing so.  Changing the type of an issue has a lot of checks/validation involved.  This is why Jira has a specific feature to support doing this with the UX: the Move function.

Kind regards,
Bill

[Shilin Zheng]

I see. Yes I tried variant 2 but failed. 

Here is what I need: I first create a task, and if the task meets a certain condition, I'd like it to be "updated" to an epic. Since you said this is not recommended, so instead, I set it to automatically create an epic, after the epic is created, several other tasks will be created automatically too. However, in this case, how can I make the triggering task under the newly created epic too? 

[Bill Sheboy]

Thanks for that information.

Are you also asking: how can I link the triggering issue to the epic I created in the rule?

If so, you can do this by referencing the {{createdIssue.key}} to edit the trigger issue's epic link.  And, I recommend posting an image of your complete rule; that will provide context to confirm if that will help your scenario.

[Shilin Zheng]

Yes, that is what I would like to set. Here is my automation rule

[Bill Sheboy]

To make the trigger issue a child of the new epic, you will need to save the epic key and edit the trigger issue after your branch.  I bolded the new sections, as shown below.

• trigger: issue created
• action: re-fetch issue
• condition: issue type is...
• action: create a new Epic
• action: create variable
  • name: varEpicKey
  • smart value: {{createdIssue.key}}
• branch: for most recently created issue
  • ...your logic to add the new tasks
• action: edit issue (this will edit the trigger issue)
  • for the epic key, enter the created variable name {{varEpicKey}}

[Antonio Rivera]

Hello @Malvina Garnier

Were you able to make this work? I'm looking to implement the exact same thing and would really appreciate some help!

Thanks!

[Malvina Garnier]

Hi Antonio, 

Sorry for the late answer but yes, I do. See my last comment for the solution ;) 

[Jack Brickey]

Hi @Malvina Garnier , if you are asking how to create an epic and underlying stories within an automation rule there are a number of existing posts that could help. I found this one with a quick search that might help - Automation-Set-Epic-Link-on-Story-to-Epic-created-in-the-same-automation  

if I’m missing the mark please LMK. 

[Jack Brickey]

In looking at your screenshot I think the key piece you are missing is the Branch component once epic is created.

[Malvina Garnier]

Hi Jack. Thanks for your answer. I'm really sorry but, I took a look on the post you advice me to check and I tried to reproduce what is done but I may do something wrong and it still doesn't work :'( 

[Jack Brickey]

Yep as your solution depicts the branch component is the key.

[Bill Sheboy]

Hi @Malvina Garnier 

Yes, and...to what Jack describes:

One alternative to using the branch on recently created issue is to instead set the epic link to most recently created issue's key directly: {{createdIssue.key}}

Kind regards,
Bill

[Malvina Garnier]

I tried different option but no one works. Maybe I should you the 'More options' field ? Hope I will find help here :)