Default assignee permission error when creating a work item in Jira Cloud
Platform Notice: Cloud Only - This article only applies to Atlassian products on the cloud platform.
Summary
Jira users with the permission to Create work items are presented with an error when they try to create new work. When selecting Create after filling out the form, the user is presented with an error stating:
"We couldn't create the work item. The default assignee does NOT have ASSIGNABLE permission OR Unassigned work items are turned off."
Diagnosis
Check browser development tools for HTTP 400
The error is due to a permissions issue on the project. You can verify this in the browser development tools. In the network tab, you can look for an HTTP 400 response code with a message similar to:
{
"errorMessages": [],
"errors":
{ "assignee": "The default assignee does NOT have ASSIGNABLE permission OR Unassigned work items are turned off."
}
}
Cause
Project permissions for default assignee
Jira allows for automatically assigning work items to users. But those users must also have the project permission Assignable user, or this error will occur. If the project has been configured to assign work to a user that doesn't have this permission, the error above will occur when any new work is created in the project.
Solution
Adjust default assignee and/or assignable users in the project
As an administrator, check the project settings:
Navigate to your project and select Project Settings
Select Details
Ensure that the Project Lead and Default Assignee fields have valid entries
Navigate to Permissions
Confirm that the Assignable user permission includes the Project Lead and Default Assignee from above
If the Default Assignee is not a valid assignable user, work items can't be created. If you'd prefer not to have a default assignee, update the project settings to Unassigned and then save. This will allow you and the affected users to create new work items in that project.
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