Edit issue fields with data from Lookup Issues automation action in Jira

Summary

The Lookup Issues action was introduced to Automation for Jira Data Center in version 9.0.1, allowing users to query for issue properties and then use them in further actions. However, as stated in our documentation for the lookupIssues smart value, it only supports a limited range of properties and doesn't support retrieving arbitrary custom field values.

We currently have a suggestion to add this capability, but it hasn't been implemented yet: JIRAAUTOSERVER-877 - Lookup issue action - Add support for more fields

Environment

Automation for Jira Data Center 9.0.1 or later (bundled with Jira Data Center 9.11 or later)

Solution

In situations where we need to look up a single issue and retrieve a single custom field value, we can work around the limitations of the Lookup Issues action by using the Create Variable action, which was also introduced in Automation for Jira 9.0.1.

As a practical example, let's take the following scenario - we would like to implement a manual automation trigger for Epic issues that will search for all the issues under an Epic and do the following:

1. Set the Epic issue's Target start date to the earliest Target start date among the issues linked to the Epic

2. Set the Epic issue's Target end date to the latest Target end date among the issues linked to the Epic

We can do this by constructing an automation rule. As a reminder, it's generally best to declare any variables outside of a branch when we intend to retrieve values stored in those variables later.

Let's build the automation rule in parts.

Part 1: Initialize variables

Here, we're simply creating the rule and setting up our variables with null values. We'll add real values based on our Lookup Issues action later.

1. Visit your project > Project settings > Automation for a project-scoped rule, or Global automation for a globally-scoped rule

2. Create a new rule

3. Trigger: Manual

4. Issue fields condition: Issue type = Epic

5. Action - Create variable:

   • Variable name: TargetStart

   • Variable value: null

6. Action - Create variable:

   • Variable name: TargetEnd

   • Variable value: null

Part 2: Set variable values based on issue data

Next, we use Lookup issues to return a single issue key and use that issue key in a For JQL branch. We extract the custom field value from the branch using Create variable.

1. Action - Lookup issues:

   • JQL: "Epic Link" = {{issue.key}} AND "Target start" IS NOT EMPTY ORDER BY "Target start" ASC

2. For each branch on related issues

   • JQL: key = {{lookupIssues.key.first}}

     • Action - Create variable:

       • Variable name: TargetStart

       • Variable value: {{issue.Target Start}}

3. Action - Lookup issues:

   • JQL: "Epic Link" = {{issue.key}} AND "Target end" IS NOT EMPTY ORDER BY "Target end" DESC

4. For each branch on related issues

   • JQL: key = {{lookupIssues.key.first}}

     • Action - Create variable:

       • Variable name: TargetEnd

       • Variable value: {{issue.Target End}}

Part 3: Edit Epic with variable values

Finally, we use the variables to set the original trigger issue's fields as desired.

1. Action - Edit issue

2. Don't choose any fields to set, and expand the Advanced section

3. Add the following code:

   • { "fields": { "Target start": "{{TargetStart}}", "Target end": "{{TargetEnd}}" } }