Automate follow-ups in Jira Service Management Cloud

Summary

Learn how to automate reminders for inactive requests in three stages using two approaches.

Solution

Approach 1: Use an Automation schedule trigger

Prerequisites:

• First reminder date and Second reminder date — date-type custom fields, added to the project's relevant screens.

• First reminder flag — a single-select dropdown with values Yes / No, default No.

1. Scheduled trigger — "Run a JQL search and execute actions for each work item", scoped to the status you want to chase.

2. Add a Condition: IF or ELSE

3. Inside the IF branch:

   • Select to Run actions if all conditions match

   • Work item fields condition: "First reminder date" is empty

   • Work item fields condition: "First reminder flag" equals No

   • Smart-value condition (first reminder, 3 inactive business days): {{#=}}{{now.diff(now.minusDays(3)).businessDays.abs.gte(3)}}{{/}} equals 1.

   • JQL condition: NOT status changed DURING (startOfDay(-3), now()).

   • Action: Edit work item

4. Add a new ELSE-IF block, which will pick up the requests that have been inactive for three days since the first reminder:

   • Work item fields condition: "First reminder date" is not empty

   • Advanced compare condition: {{#=}}{{now.diff(issue.first reminder date).businessDays.abs.gte(3)}}{{/}} equals 1

   • JQL condition: NOT status changed DURING ("{{issue.first reminder date.jqlDate}}, now())

   • Work item fields condition: "Second reminder date" is empty

5. Add a new ELSE-IF block, which will pick up the requests that have been inactive and in the same status for three days after the second reminder

   • Work item fields condition: "Second reminder date" is not empty

   • Advanced compare condition: {{#=}}{{now.diff(issue.second reminder date).businessDays.abs.gte(3)}}{{/}} equals 1

   • JQL condition: NOT status changed DURING {{{issue.second reminder date.jqlDate}},now())

Please see screenshot examples of the three If block conditions as they appear in the automation editor below:

First If block:

Second If block:

Third If block:

Run the scheduled rule against a small JQL scope first, then check the automation audit log to confirm that only the intended (inactive) requests are picked up before widening the query.

Approach 2: Using Automation and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

You can create SLAs that start when a request is moved to the specified status and breach after the specified number of days when you want to perform the follow-up or auto-closure.

In the below example, we describe how to create an automation rule to auto-close the ticket after three days when the agent/user changes the status to Resolved and doesn't get a reply from the customer.

Step I: Create an SLA that starts when the status is set to Resolved and breaches after three days

1. Go to Project settings > SLAs

2. Select Add SLA, and in the field next to the clock icon, enter a new name for the SLA "Waiting for closure"

3. Scroll down to the Conditions section

4. Under Start counting time when, choose a condition/statuses on which SLA needs to start: Entered status: Resolved or Resolution: Set

5. Under Finish counting time when, choose the condition/statuses on which you want to stop the SLA: Entered status: Waiting for support, Closed

6. Under Time Goal, set the goal as the required amount of time in hours/min when you want the auto-closure to be done; say for three days, specify 72h

7. Select the Calendar: 24/7 calendar or 9-5 Weekday calendar

   • Use 24h(3-days) in Time Goal if the 9-5 weekday calendar is selected

   • Create a custom calendar to pause the SLA on weekends and holidays

8. Add Work items to display (in JQL) to filter the tickets

9. Click Save to save the SLA configuration

It will look something like the following screenshot:

This SLA clock will start when the ticket is moved to the Resolved status.

Step II: Create an Automation rule to auto-close this ticket when the SLA breaches

1. Go to Project settings > Automation > Create Rule

2. Select the trigger as "SLA threshold breached" and choose the SLA "Waiting for closure"(created in Step I)

   • The option breached should be selected by default under "Trigger when SLA has"

3. Select Action as Comment on work item and change the visibility to Share with customer

   • You can use smart values to access work item data, such as reporter information, in the comment

4. Select Action as transition work item to Closed status

5. Publish the rule

Notes:

• If you would like to send reminders before auto-closure, you can create separate SLA and automation rules similar to as described above

• Using this approach, you can add Holiday dates in calendar to send notifications only on business days