JIRA workflow - Initial status reverts back to Open

[Harish Dhinakararajan]

When we create a new workflow, the default initial status is Open. But we changed that to "Pending" and we also have "Open" in the next/following step. It gets saved correctly and we are also to test it. But after a few minutes the statuses are exchanged. The "Pending" changes to "Open" (initial status) and vice versa. We have no idea why this happens. We want to have our initial status as Pending for all workflows for this particualr project. Any suggections/answers please.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

Check the issue history first, what *exactly* does that say? Is there a line in there saying "person X changed status from pending to open"?

[Harish Dhinakararajan]

Thank you for the reply. No there is nothing like that. It happens automatically to the workflow. It's not someone chaging the status, but the actual workflow changes (Pending changes to open and vice versa) automatically. Even when we change it back again, it reverts back :(

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Right, that doesn't happen without an administrator changing something.

I need to be exactly clear about what you are seeing here, and I am imagining two different scenarios. I'll just repeat back my understanding so you can tell me if I have misunderstood:

Scenario 1:

• You create a new workflow that has at least two separate status - Open and Pending.
• You edit the workflow's "create" transition and point it to land on "Pending"
• You save the workflow and apply it to a project via a scheme
• A few minutes later, you create an issue, and it is created in status "Open"

Scenario 2

• You create a new workflow that has a step with status "Pending".
• The workflow's "create" transition lands on "Pending"
• You save the workflow and apply it to a project via a scheme
• A few minutes later, you create an issue, and it is created in status "Open"
• When you edit the workflow, status "Pending" has been removed, and "Open" is there in it's place.

Is it either of those?

[Harish Dhinakararajan]

The Jira administrator is building these new workflows. Scenario 1 is exactly what happens. The work flow is : Create Issue --> Pending (Initial status) --> Impact Analysis --> Approve --> Open. But after a few minutes both statuses get swtiched in the workflow & when creating a new issue as well. Scenario 2 doesn't apply as all our workflows have both these statuses.

Also adding to Scenario 1:

5. The Open status changes to Pending

Hope this helps

Thanks

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Ok, can we expand on "switched"? (Sorry, bear with me here, I'm going through all sorts of odd scenarios in my head)

You're looking at the workflow diagram which shows: Create Issue --> Pending (Initial status) --> Impact Analysis --> Approve --> Open. Then, half an hour later, the diagram is exactly the same, EXCEPT that the status names are now showing: Create Issue --> Open (Initial status) --> Impact Analysis --> Approve --> Pending

Could you check one quick thing for me - the "last edit" time (and user) on the workflow that has changed? Is it when the workflow was created, or when the "swap" happened?

I have a sneaking doubt I know exactly what is happening, but need to know about the time stamp to check it.

[Harish Dhinakararajan]

Yes that is what happens. The last edit time & user still shows when the workflow was changed/created. Thanks

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Ok, great!

It's one of your other administrators, or possibly even you when you go into another workflow.

The status "open" and "pending" are being renamed. The workflow isn't changeing, it draws the names from a global list. Which is being changed. My best guess is that you're fiddling with the status when you're creating your workflow, and it's upsetting someone elses workflow. So when they see their workflow break, they're changing them back. As I said, it might even be yourself, trying to correct two workflows!

[Harish Dhinakararajan]

I can confirm none of the other adminstrators change it. But I can say one thing. Whenever it switches, we rename "Pending" to something like "Pending2" and then rename "Open" to "Pending" and again "Pending2" to "Open" Is this what messes up. If so, how do we fix it. Please advise

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

That is exactly the problem. Stop renaming the status. They are GLOBAL - you change the name, it's going to change in EVERY WORKFLOW.

If you're pointing a create transition to the wrong status in a workflow, renaming the status is completely the wrong thing to do, you must change the endpoint of the transition.

[Harish Dhinakararajan]

Awesome. That was it. How do I change your comment as the answer

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Just mark the original answer as correct - same effect and people will be able to follow the thread if they have the same issue!

That was a very interesting investigation by the way - I had all sorts of weird ideas about what it might be, and it was entertaining ruling them out until my brain went "aha!"