Creating a template epic and automating its tasks to finish / start

Question

We have a requirement for a specific project where they want to create a template epic they can then clone (we are using Easy Clone for this). Within this epic, they have about 10 tasks they want to automate, so that when one finishes the next one starts until all the tasks are done - then the epic can be closed and the reporter emailed. Some of these tasks will also be assigned to other boards, we are using company managed projects. We can easily depict the dependencies in a plan (finish > start for all 10 tasks sequentially), but I'm trying to find the best way to create this automation within the epic, so that they can just clone a template and repeat the same tasks,

Marek Rudy · Answer

Thanks for taking the time to respond Doreen, we'll work through your solution and let you know the outcome!

Doreen Undiri · Answer

Hi @Marek Rudy

Let's start by creating a template epic with all the required tasks (children of the Epic).Use dependencies (Finish > Start) to indicate task order,you can do this using  linked issue to link the first task to the last.

Secondly, use EasyClone to clone the Epic along with its child tasks , Just make sure dependencies are retained during cloning.

Third  create the automatic rule

Trigger: Issue Transitioned → Trigger when a task transitions to "Done."

First condition: Add an Issue Fields Condition to ensure the issue type is a "Story" (or Task, depending on your needs).

Field: Issue Type

Condition: equals

Value: Story

Second Condition: Add a Related Issues Condition (to check that all linked "blocked by" and "blocks "issues are in the "Done" status).

Related Issues: Linked Issues

Link Type: "is blocked by" "blocks"

Condition: All match specified JQL

JQL: (issue in linkedIssues("{{triggerIssue.key}}", "blocks") AND status = "To Do") OR (issue in linkedIssues("{{triggerIssue.key}}", "is blocked by") AND status = "Done")

NOTE: (The above query checks if the current story is blocking another story and moves that blocked story from To Do to In Progress. For the next stories in the sequence, it makes sure the current story is blocked by the previous one and only moves it to In Progress after the blocker is marked as Done.)

Now Add a Branch for the Linked Issues (Blocks)This branch identifies the issue(s) that are being blocked by the current story and transitions them to In Progress once the blocking story is marked as Done.

Add a Branch Rule/Related Issues:

Type: Linked Issues.

Link Type: blocks.

Inside the branch, add an Action: Select Transition Issue.

Configure the transition to move the blocked issue(s) to In Progress.

And lastly Add a Parent Branch (Optional), it  checks if all child stories under the parent Epic are completed. If they are, it transitions the Epic to Done and notifies the reporter.

Add a Branch Rule/Related Issues:

Type: Parent.

Add a Condition to Check Child Issues:

Add a Related Issues Condition:

Type: Sub-tasks (or Linked Issues).

Condition: All match specified JQL.

JQL:status = "Done"

Add Actions:

Transition the Parent Epic to Done.

Add a Send Email action to notify the reporter:

Recipient: {{issue.reporter.emailAddress}}.

Subject: "Epic Completed."

Body: "All stories under the Epic {{issue.summary}} are completed."