Difference between Automation Service limits and Automation Usage limits

Summary

This article will be useful when you see an Automation rule being throttled because it exceeded the service limits. It will also provide clarity on the Usage limit and how it differs from the Service limit.

Solution

Usage limit: This is the total number of executions allowed for the product on your site. Each time when an Automation rule runs and performs a valid action then it counts towards your Usage limit and this is set based on your subscription tier( like Free, Standard, Premium, Enterprise). For example, If you are in the standard plan of Jira Software product then you get 1700 executions/month. So every time a rule runs successfully it keeps deducting from the 1700 executions.

Service limit: This is the limit on how much processing a rule can do during an execution without affecting the performance of your site. Each rule execution has to abide by the Service limits or else the rule will be "Throttled" during the execution. For example, If you have a rule where a JQL search returns more than 1000 issues this would result in the rule being throttled. You need to optimize your JQL to return less than 1000 issues and split up the rule into two rules based on Created date/Project/Status etc to fit within the service limits.