Jira Automation Error

[Celina Kim]

Hello,

I'm getting an error with an automation but I can't figure out how to fix it. Please help. 

The automation is to create QA subtask automatically when an issue is created. 

And, I got this error message in the audit log below

We don't use "Time tracking" field in general and we didn't even add the field in our layout. I'm not sure why it keeps mentioning about the field. 

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Bill Sheboy · Accepted solution]

Hi @Celina Kim 

For a question like this, please post an image of your complete automation rule, images of any relevant actions / conditions / branches, an image of the audit log details showing the rule execution, and explain what is not working as expected.  Those will provide context for the community to offer ideas.  Thanks!

Until we see those...

Your rule appears to be using either the Create Issue or the Clone Issue action, and so either of those could be referencing the time tracking fields.  Seeing the complete rules and details of the actions will help to confirm this.

Kind regards,
Bill

[Celina Kim]

Thanks for the note.
Here is the automation rule:

Is this enough information needed? 

[Bill Sheboy]

Thanks for that information!  I see two possible causes of this symptom...

First, the rule is trying to add issues with Create Issue of the sub-task type in other projects.  That is not possible: subtasks can only be in the same parent issue's project because they are really just part of the parent.

Next, time tracking fields cannot be set at the same time as issue creation.  Instead the issue must be created first, and then the tracking is set with an issue edit action.

Why are you trying to create subtasks in the other projects?  Knowing that may help to consider other solution approaches.

[Celina Kim]

Thanks for your response and sorry for the late response. 

For the first issue, as I checked our automation with your comment, I think I found the solution. 

For the second issue, where can I see the time tracking field setting? I don't even see and know where to change the rule in the automation.

[Bill Sheboy]

The time tracking fields are normally set with Log time (when changing an issue on a board) or with rule actions.

For your scenario, do you want to set those fields, such as Original Estimate, for the new issues? If so, that must be done in two steps: create the issue and then set the field.

For example:

• action: create issue
• branch: to most recently created issue
  • action: edit issue, to set the time tracking field
• ...repeating that for each issue created

[Celina Kim]

I don't want to set any rules for the time tracking and I don't think I set up anything before either. That's why I was confused by the error message. But, as I've updated the automation rule while I was getting your help, I think the automation has been working now. Thanks for taking your time to help me out!

[Bill Sheboy]

I am glad you have it working now.

FYI...Your rule is using the Issue Created trigger, and that one can fire so quickly that some issue data may not yet be available, leading to problems and unexpected error messages later in the rule. 

The work-around / fix for that is to always add the Re-fetch Issue action immediately after the Issue Created trigger.  That will reload the data and slow down the rule a bit before performing any other steps.