Automating tasks in Jira. How to deal with recurring Jira issues? 

Automating tasks in Jira can save hours for teams. Minimizing manual work increases quality, improves employee satisfaction, and reduces development costs. Automation solutions are a must-have in modern companies. The good news is that they pay for themselves quickly. Let’s see how you can automate recurring Jira issues using our Issue Templates for Jira app. 

Can Jira be automated? Benefits of automating Jira issues. 

Yes, you can automate a wide range of activities in Jira. Atlassian even provides its users with a Jira automation templates library. It can be, for example, assigning issues, updating statuses, and more. But what are the benefits? First of all, Jira automation improves consistency. This ensures that every task follows the same process. Consistency leads to releasing a better quality final product.

automating tasks in jira automation template library atlassian

What’s more, automation reduces the chances of human error. It also enables faster response to changes by improving visibility inside the project. This allows teams to track progress and quickly identify areas for improvement. Ultimately, automation in Jira ticketing system reduces repetitive tasks. Thanks to this, teams can focus on complex problems that require critical thinking. 

Don’t waste time on repetitive issues. Autocomplete tasks with dedicated templates app.

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What are automation rules in Jira? 

Automation rules in Jira consist of four parts. Uderstanding how to build automation rules is crucial:

Triggers – events that start the automation process.
Conditions – specific requirements that need to be met for the automation to run.
Branches –  allow you to organize and separate conditions.
Actions –  the tasks Jira will do automatically if the conditions are met.

You can find automation in Jira by going to Settings (top right corner) > System > Automation.

What are scheduled issues in Jira? 

Scheduled rules in Jira automation execute based on a specified timetable. You can set them to run at regular intervals, for example, every 5 days. Additionally, you can input a JQL query. It allows actions in the rule to be performed on the specific issues. 

Note: If a scheduled rule encounters failure in 10 consecutive executions, it will be automatically disabled.

automation scheduled trigger jira

Can you automate Jira ticket creation? 

It is possible to create a structure of issues using just Jira Automation. However, we find it complex and hard to maintain. Therefore, we recommend delegating the process to the Issue Templates app. By using our app, you can also benefit from multiple additional features. They include inheriting values from parent issues, calculating dates automatically, and more. It’s a good practice to synchronize the status of parent issues when changes occur in sub-tasks. It ensures consistent information across related tasks. We will talk more about it further in the article. 

What is Jira automation and why is it important?

Automating tasks allows the automation of business processes within the Jira instance. It enables teams to simplify their workflows, increase productivity, and reduce manual errors. With Jira automation, users can create custom rules that automate tasks. It might be assigning issues, updating fields, and sending notifications. Jira automation is essential for teams that want to optimize their project management. Automating tasks in Jira allows them to focus on high-priority tasks.

Automating tasks in Jira is important because it helps teams to:

  • Save time and increase productivity by automating repetitive tasks. This allows team members to focus on more strategic and complex issues.
  • Improve consistency and accuracy by ensuring teams execute tasks as planned every time. Automation rules help maintain a standard process across the board.
  • Enhance collaboration and communication among team members. The feature updates statuses and sends notifications. This keeps everyone on the same page.
  • Reduce manual errors which can occur when teams perform tasks by hand. Automation ensures that employees can complete tasks without mistakes.
  • Focus on high-priority tasks and strategic initiatives. Automation frees up time that team members would otherwise spend on routine tasks.

To sum up, by implementing Jira automation, teams enhance their project management processes. It leads to better outcomes and more efficient workflows.

How do you create issues automatically in Jira? Useful tips. 

Scheduling Create issue action allows you to generate a new issue within a project. Remember that you’ll need the appropriate permissions, including browsing projects and creating issues. 

Whilst automating issue creation in Jira you can specify various fields for configuration. By adding smart values, you make the process smoother. You can also copy attachments from other issues by choosing the Attachment field. For more advanced field editing, click More Options

Be careful when using Project > Same project as trigger on global rules. Since the type of project isn’t known until the rule is executed, all issue types are accessible for configuration. This means you might select an issue type that doesn’t exist in the project. It can cause problems later on.

How to automate subtask creation? Step-by-step instruction. 

  1. Click on the New trigger selection screen. 
  2. Find the Issue created trigger from the trigger list or in the search bar. After choosing it, click the Save button.
  3. Click on the New Condition option on the Add Component page.
  4. Go to the Issue fields condition.
  5. From the Field drop-down, select Issue Type, and change the value to Task. Save your changes.
  6. Select the New action item on the Add component page. Find and select Create sub-tasks.
  7. Add your sub-tasks by clicking the Add another sub-task. Complete the Summary and other fields you need.
  8. If you choose Add fields on the third sub-task the other two will be created as a separate action. Move to a new Create Issue screen where you can configure more fields.
  9. Go to the Add Component view. Here you can name your new Automation. Once you do, select Turn it on.
  10. Once you create the new task, your new automation rule will activate in the background. Now, confirm if the rule succeeded. Go to Project Settings -> Automation, search for your new Automation rule, and select the Audit Log tab.
  11. Return to your project and you should see your subtasks. 
automating tasks in jira subtasks
Source of the template: Atlassian

How do I auto-assign issues in Jira automation?

1. Access Automation:

  • Go to your project settings in Jira.
  • Click the Automation tab.
  • Click “Create rule” in the top right corner.

2. Set Trigger:

  • On the New trigger screen, choose Issue created and click Save.

3. Add Conditions (If/Else):

  • Click Add component and then New condition.
  • Select the if/else block option. This creates a branching condition.

4. Define “If” Condition:

  • Click Add Conditions… in the If block.
  • Choose the Issue fields condition and set the condition to Issue Type > equals > Bug (or your desired type).
  • Click Save.

5. Assign Users for “If” Condition:

  • Click Add component again and choose New Action.
  • Search for and select Assign issue.
  • Choose the user group to receive Bug reports and click Save.

6. Name and Activate Rule:

  • Give your rule a clear name 
  • Click Turn it on to activate the rule.

7. Test and Verify:

  • Create new issues to test the rule. Remember to choose the proper issue types. 
  • Check the Audit Log for successful execution or any errors.

Additional Tips:

  • Explore the template library in Jira for more automation examples.
  • Consider using the balanced workload option in Assign issue to distribute tasks evenly among users in a group.
automating tasks in jira auto assign
Source of the template: Atlassian

Issue Templates for Jira 

The Issue Templates extension automates task creation within projects in Jira. It not only creates issues. It also simplifies the process of autocompleting them. Teams can use templates instead of manually filling in the same data for similar tasks. The flexible templates allow you to match different project requirements and good practices. By using them, users can quickly reproduce recurring tasks. This saves time and ensures consistency.

issue templates employee onboarding screen
Employee onboarding template in Issue Templates for Jira

Recreate recurring Jira issues and epics in seconds. Autocomplete tasks with templates.

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How to automate Jira task creation with templates?

You can schedule applying jira ticket templates thanks to the built-in Jira automation triggers. 

First, you need to create an automation rule. Then select a proper trigger and specific actions. There are many triggers you can choose from. In the following example, we will focus on the Scheduled trigger. To use templating, add a Create issue action to your automation rule. Choose a project and the issue type. 

Issue templates automation screen

Click on More Options and paste the following JSON:

json issue template create screen

In this case, TEMPLATE-1 is the issue key of the specific template. The app receives a notification that someone has created a new issue. Then, it takes the information from the issue.templates.automation property to apply a particular template. The issue fields can now be updated with values from the template. If a template has children or linked issues they will be recreated accordingly. 

How do I automate recurring task creation in Jira with an apply template post-function? 

Apply template post-function lets you complete fields on your Jira tickets automatically. It uses values from the template after performing a workflow transition. You can apply it in every transition step, including the first one, when you create a new issue. 

Automate task creation workflow 

It’s possible to have different workflows for specific issue types. This enables setting up separate configuration models. It is useful when, for example, a team needs to add predefined sub-tasks after an issue creation. Imagine that a project manager or tech lead adds a development user story in Jira. Thanks to Issue Templates, sub-tasks for documentation, review, and security are created automatically.

Another use case is triggering issue creation in another project. For instance, let’s take submitting a request at the Service Desk. It can trigger a bug-type issue creation in a development project.

How to trigger the creation of an epic with stories using REST API? 

You can automate issue creation by triggering an automation rule using REST API. In the Incoming webhook trigger configuration, you get the link you can use to send POST-type messages. It will activate events defined in Jira automation rules. See the instructions below: 

Automating tasks in Jira with dynamic variables

Scheduled issue creation from templates allows filling sprints with predefined tasks. For this reason, planning work and assigning tasks get quicker and easier. The issue.templates.automation property enables users to set up dynamic variables. This feature comes in handy when you integrate with external systems. In this case, you can use dynamic variables to generate dynamic content. 

The tutorial below shows how to configure creating tasks step by step using Jira Automation:

Use cases and best practices for automating Jira task creation 

Customer support tickets

A customer submits a support ticket through a form or email. An automation rule can create a Jira task with relevant details.

HR onboarding tasks

Onboarding, offboarding, and transfer tasks are repetitive. Use automation rules to speed up your Jira hr service management.

Code reviews

Code review tools can trigger Jira issue creation for identified bugs in Jira workflow.

Bug reporting

Imagine your team encounters specific bugs frequently. An automation rule creates a Jira task with pre-defined fields and assignees based on the bug type.

Deployment tasks

Automate the creation of Jira tasks for reviews, checks, and testing in routine deployments.

Project kick-off

After initiating a new project, automatically create tasks in Jira. They can include predefined sub-tasks for different stages of the project.

Post-meeting actions

After a team meeting, integrate collaboration tools with Jira. Automatically create tasks for assigned action items with deadlines.

Granting permissions

When you create a new user account, trigger a task to grant them the necessary project permissions.

Inventory management

Whenever you are running out of equipment, automatically trigger re-ordering.

These are just a few examples. There are many possibilities for automating Jira task creation. Identify repetitive tasks and automate them. By this, you can optimize your whole project management process across your company. 

What do you need to remember about automating tasks in Jira?

Automating tasks in Jira saves teams time and effort. It improves efficiency and reduces manual work. This automation enhances work quality and employee satisfaction while lowering development costs. Modern companies rely on automation solutions, and the investment often pays off. Tools like Issue Templates for Jira facilitate automating recurring tasks, ensuring consistency and freeing up time for creativity.  

FAQ

  • What are the four issue types in Jira?

    The 4 issue types in Jira are:

    1. Task: These are specific units of work or actions that need to be completed within a project. Tasks are typically smaller and more granular than other types of issues.
    2. Story: Stories represent user requirements or features. They are often used in agile methodologies to describe functionality from the perspective of an end user.
    3. Bug: Bugs are issues or problems within the software that need to be addressed. They could be anything from minor glitches to major defects affecting functionality.

    Epic: Epics are large bodies of work that can be broken down into smaller tasks or stories. They represent big features that require multiple iterations or phases to complete. Epics help in managing complex projects by providing a big-picture view of the work that needs to be done.

Katarzyna Kornaga

Katarzyna is a Content Specialist, responsible for writing on the Deviniti blog. She values helpful, unique content where users can find answers to their questions. When not writing, you can find her walking her dog, Loki, flowing through Ashtanga yoga classes, or curled up with a good book at home.

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