Automation For Jira - How to write a rule to close a parent issue after all sub-tasks have been closed

Summary

When a parent issue (for example Task/Bug/Story type issue...) has sub-tasks underneath it, we might want to automatically close it once all the sub-tasks have been closed.

The purpose of this article is to provide a way to configure an automation rule that will automatically close the parent issue, once the last sub-task was closed.

Solution

Automation rule configuration

• Add an Issue Transitioned trigger with the parameters below:

  • From Status: leave empty

  • To Status: choose the workflow status that issues enter when they are closed/done. For example: the status DONE

• Add an Issue Field Condition with the parameters below:

  • Field: Issue Type

  • Condition: Equals

  • Value: Sub-task

• Add a Branch Rule with the parameter below:

  • Type of related Issues: Parent

• Inside the Branch Rule, add the 2 components below:

  • Add a Related Issues Condition with the parameters below:

    • Related Issues: Sub-tasks

    • Condition: "All match specified JQL"

    • Matching JQL: "status = DONE"

      • Make sure to change the status to the one used in the workflow when an issue is closed (for example: Closed, Resolved, etc...)

  • Add a Transition Issue action with the parameters below:

    • Transition the issue by: "Selecting the destination status"

    • Destination status: DONE

      • Make sure to change the status to the one used in the workflow when an issue is closed (for example: Closed, Resolved, etc...)

Screenshot of the automation rule