Managing Request Reopenings in JSM Cloud After Resolution

Summary

Learn how to set up an automation rule to limit request reopenings to X days after resolution, balancing customer and business needs.

Solution

Two solutions to block reopening requests

Use Workflow validators

This applies if your workflow allows requests to be reopened. This method does not work well on the JSM customer portal (as explained below).

Use Automation

This is recommended if you allow your customers to reopen issues by adding a comment on closed requests. It also works well on the JSM customer portal.

Known limitations

Transitions executed from the Jira Service Management Portal ignore validators, as stated in this documentation: Show a workflow transition in the portal. We have an ongoing Feature request to provide this functionality: JSDCLOUD-5853 - Customer Portal Does Not Display Custom Validator Error.

The method can work if the reopen transition is done by an automation rule triggered by a comment added by the customer from the JSM portal. The rule will run, but report an error due to failed validation.

Limit reopening a request using Automation

For this method, you can either edit the default rule in the automation templates library, When a customer comments on a closed request → then reopen the request. Make sure you don't have multiple rules performing the same actions.

Add another Condition to the rule from the template to validate whether the issue was resolved within the last X days. If it doesn't match the condition, it will add a comment for the Customer, asking them to open a new request. See the steps below:

1. In the automation Templates tab, select When a customer comments on a closed request → then reopen the request.

2. Between the template rule JQL condition and the transition action of the rule, add an IF/Else condition.

3. Inside the IF: matches branch, add a {{smart values}} condition with the following values:

   First Value: {{now.diff(issue.resolved).days}} Condition: less than Second Value: X (maximum number of days you'd like to allow customers to reopen the request)

4. Drag the existing Transition work item action to nest it inside this branch.

5. Add an ELSE condition branch.

6. Inside this Else branch, add an action Add comment to work item.

7. Configure the message you'd like to post as a comment to request that the customer open a new request.

   1. Make sure the Comment visibility is "Share with customer."

   2. You can use smart values to dynamically update the reporter name, key, and other information in the comment.

8. Save the rule.

Modify the workflow to limit reopening requests

This solution assumes you have a workflow that has a transition that allows your Customers to transition issues from CLOSED to OPEN. You will add a validator to this transition to only allow the transition if the issue was resolved within the last X days.

1. Go to Project Settings > Request management > Workflows.

2. Find the relevant workflow for the relevant work type, then click the pencil icon.

3. Select the relevant transition (the arrow, not the status), then click Validators.

4. Click Add Validator.

5. Select Date Compare Validator, then Add.

6. Configure the validator as needed (If you want to allow work items to be reopened only within 15 days from resolution, the condition would be Resolved > -14d), then click Add.

7. Perform steps 3 to 6 on all relevant transitions.

8. Publish the workflow.