"Some of the set fields aren't available" error in Jira Cloud Automation
Platform Notice: Cloud Only - This article only applies to Atlassian apps on the cloud platform.
Summary
In Jira Automation, the Edit Work Item action may return an error in the Automation Audit log similar to the following:
"Some of the set fields aren't available. Fields ignored:"
There are multiple potential causes for this error message to appear, including:
Fields not present on the Edit screen
Automation rule actor doesn't have sufficient permissions
Automation rule actor doesn't have app license(s)
Automation rule actor doesn't match related workflow conditions
Solution
The Automation Audit log lists the exact field(s) that were ignored. Start there—it usually points directly to the cause (missing screen field vs. permission vs. license).
We'll analyze each potential cause and its solution below.
Likely cause | Fix section |
|---|---|
Field not on the Edit screen | Add fields to project Edit screen(s) |
The rule actor lacks permission | Ensure Automation rule actor permissions |
The rule actor lacks app license | Verify Automation rule actor app license(s) |
Workflow condition/property blocks edit | Check project workflow for transition conditions/rules |
Add fields to project Edit screen(s)
If a field isn't present on the space's Edit screens, including Edit screens for specific requests or work types, Automation will throw this error and fail to edit the field(s). To resolve it:
Identify the field name being ignored from the audit log section
Go to the respective screen based on work type
Add the field to the screen
Ensure Automation rule actor permissions
The Automation rule actor needs sufficient permissions to edit any related work items. If you're using the "Automation for Jira" actor, you'll need to grant Edit work items permission to the atlassian-addons-project-access Space Role:
Navigate to the relevant Space
Select Space Settings > Permissions
Ensure that Edit work items has been granted to the atlassian-addons-project-access role
Please note: If you choose to use a different actor, such as your own user, you'll need to ensure that user has the same permissions. Additionally, to improve automation stability, consider adding delays in your automation rule, particularly after actions such as 'Create Work Item,' to allow sufficient time for database updates before subsequent steps execute.
Using JSON for field updates
If you're using JSON in the 'Additional Fields' section, ensure you use 'Account ID' instead of email addresses for user-related fields, such as 'Approvers'. For example, use 'reporter.accountId' to specify an Account ID. Incorrect use of email addresses will result in automation failures.
Verify Automation rule actor app license(s)
Depending on the space type, ensure whoever is selected to run the automation rule has the required app licenses. Jira projects will require a Jira license, and Jira Service Management projects require a JSM license. Additionally, use branching in your automation rules to efficiently manage operations across multiple items or processes. Branching helps to ensure smoother executions when handling complex automation workflows.
For instructions on adding users to your apps, please refer to our documentation: https://support.atlassian.com/user-management/docs/give-users-access-to-products/
Check project workflow for transition conditions/rules
If you're using workflow properties in Jira, you may have inadvertently prevented editing during a certain workflow step. Specifically, check for the 'jira.issue.editable' property.
If this property is set to 'false', it prevents any edits during that step. To address this, you can:
Set
'jira.issue.editable = true'to allow editing during that workflow step.Use
'jira.permission.edit.user = [Automation user ID]'or'jira.permission.edit.group = [Specific group ID]'to specify which user(s) or group(s) can edit during restricted steps. This is particularly useful in automation rules that require the rule actor to bypass restrictions.
Ensure the workflow property aligns with the automation rule actor's permissions for smooth execution.
To check your workflow for any unwanted properties:
Navigate to the relevant Space
Select Space settings > Workflows
Choose the workflow based on the affected work type
On each Transition and Workflow step, check for any properties that restrict editing
Refer to our documentation for what these properties might look like
Remove or adjust the properties to allow for the rule actor to transition/edit as needed
Verification steps
Re-run the rule and confirm the Audit log shows the action succeeded with no "fields ignored" message.
If still failing, confirm you used Account ID (not email) for user fields in any JSON, and consider adding a short delay after Create Work Item before the edit step.
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