How can I run a scheduled rule every month that creates different issues based on current month?

[Walter Lamm]

Hi community.

I wanted to create a rule that triggers on the first day every month but creates different issued based on the current month of execution.

Example:

• January: Issue A, Issue B, Issue C
• February: Issue C
• March: Issue A, Issue C
• April: Issue B, Issue C

I don't want to create a scheduled rule for every month to have it consider which specific issues should be created right now.

I wanted to build a rule, that triggers every month but checks which month is right now and based on that creates these different issues in my list.

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The way I wanted to implement it more specificly was:

• Scheduled trigger
• Create lookup table (table name: irregularIssues):
  • Key: Month | Value: Issue A§Issue B§Issue C
• Advanced Branching for each:
  • Smart value: {{irregularIssues.get(insert_current_month_here).split("§")}}
  • Variable name: irregularIssuesName
    
    
  • Then: Create issue
    • Summary: {{irregularIssuesName}}

---

 So how can I implement a check for the current month that isn't included in any custom fields?

Or is there an easier way I'm just missing?

Thanks a lot!

[Seifallah Bellassoued · Accepted solution]

Hi @Walter Lamm

To do that I suggest the following steps:

1. Add a scheduled automation rule with the follwowing cron parameter:
   
2. Then add 12 if/else condition block with the following advanced condition:
   
   • First value: {{#math}} {{now.format("MM")}} {{/}}
   • Second Value: Month number
     
     
     
3. Under each condition, you should add an action to created the corresponding tasks.

Hope this could help.

Best Regards,

Seif,

[Walter Lamm]

@Seifallah Bellassoued @Tom Lister @Marc Koppelaar @Vishal 

Thank you for your answers! Seifallahs answer was all I needed.

Here's how I did it with new parts in bold:

• Scheduled trigger
• Create variable {{currentMonth}} with value:
  • {{#math}} {{now.format("MM")}} {{/}} (though I don't think the #math part is necessary)
• Create lookup table with only the months with issues that need to be created
  • table name: irregularIssues
  • Key: Month in format MM | Value: Issue A§Issue B§Issue C
• Advanced Branching for each:
  • Smart value: {{irregularIssues.get(currentMonth).split("§")}}
    • split is for creating a list to iterate through from only one lookup table value
  • Variable name: irregularIssuesName
    
    
  • Then: Create issue
    • Summary: {{irregularIssuesName}}

[Tom Lister · Accepted solution]

Hi @Walter Lamm 

I agree with the comments above but would add:

Schedule trigger monthly as suggested.

You can create a variable for the current month and use that for further logic.

Variable smart value such as {{now.format("MMM")}} to return Jan,Feb etc.

When I have had to create issues with specific values on a regular basis I have created template issues. These were a specific issues with predefined values. I located these via JQL (e.g. Labels = "Oct" ). You can do this using a Branch based on JQL.

And created new issues based on their values.

This has an additional benefit of allowing the predefined values to be adjusted outside of automation

[Marc Koppelaar · Accepted solution]

Hi @Walter Lamm 

You could look into automation date/time smart values.

example: {{now.startOfMonth.withMonth(5)}} will return the 1st of May this year. and base you actions on the value from the smart values

[Vishal]

Hi @Walter Lamm 

What you are looking for is 2 levels of time checker, I dont think this is currently possible with the automation, I fear you'll have to do what you dont want to do, which is creating scheduled rule for each month.

Happy to be proven wrong though.