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Suggestion
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Resolution: Won't Fix
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None
I am sure I have seen a very similar request already, but I can't find it anywhere so sorry if this is a duplicate. We are finding the workflow system very limiting when it comes to setting the assignee of an issue. Sometimes users need the ability to override the default assignee. You are stuck with either having to go with whomever the system tells you (and without extensions that capability is very limited (in particular because of JRA-5496)), or having to select from a list of all assignable users.
There are several ways to address this issue:
- Make workflow assignement conditional: only use the workflow to set the assignee when a user doesn't select "automatic or unassigned".
- Better: provide a pre-workflow function. This gives users the option to set the assignee before the transition screen appears. So for example, set the assignee to the reporter when an issue is resolved so that the reporter appears in the Resolved Issue screen, but give the user the opportunity to change that selection.
- relates to
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- Closed
[JRASERVER-16157] Add workflow "pre-function" as well as post function
Rafael A
added a comment - That's a really good idea regarding the use of description. Thank you for your help. We'll look into creating some custom workflow elements down the track.
Raf.
Rafael A
added a comment - That's a really good idea regarding the use of description. Thank you for your help. We'll look into creating some custom workflow elements down the track.
Raf. Hi,
It is possible to develop a workflow post-function that sets field values (e.g. assignee) based on what has been chosen in the UI.
For more information on developing a psot function, please see:
http://confluence.atlassian.com/display/JIRA/How+to+create+Custom+Workflow+Elements+for+JIRA+3
I see what you mean about this being a general request to be able to preset values for a workflow screen. This is something we are not planning to look at in the short to medium future.
One thing that may help is setting a description for the workflow transition. The description appears at the top of the screen on the workflow transition screen. Therefore, the descritpion can be used to help the user make the correct selections for the fields.
Cheers,
Anton
Rafael A
added a comment - The ability to override the assignee was just the one use case. I can think of many cases where the ability to perform actions through a workflow but allowing users to override them would be useful. JRA-6381 suggests a very useful feature, and I will certainly vote for it, but it doesn't really address my problem. The problem is how to "suggest" to users how best to progress an issue through a workflow rather than force them to set certain values on a given transition.
I don't know enough about osuser to know how easy it would be for you to do. As I said, another way of dealing with the problem is to make a conditional post function, that is a post function that only happens if a field has a particular value. For example, if the assignee is "automatic" assign to reporter on resolve, if it is something else, honor that value...
Thanks again for your help and suggestions,
Raf.
Rafael A
added a comment - The ability to override the assignee was just the one use case. I can think of many cases where the ability to perform actions through a workflow but allowing users to override them would be useful. JRA-6381 suggests a very useful feature, and I will certainly vote for it, but it doesn't really address my problem. The problem is how to "suggest" to users how best to progress an issue through a workflow rather than force them to set certain values on a given transition.
I don't know enough about osuser to know how easy it would be for you to do. As I said, another way of dealing with the problem is to make a conditional post function, that is a post function that only happens if a field has a particular value. For example, if the assignee is "automatic" assign to reporter on resolve, if it is something else, honor that value...
Thanks again for your help and suggestions,
Raf.
Hi Rafael,
As far as I can tell, the functionality you are after is being able to select a different default for the Assignee field during each workflow transition. Is this so?
If yes, unfortunately, this cannot be done using the workflow engine. The trouble with the workflow engine is that once it starts doing work, it is not possible for the user to provide any input. That is, it is not possible to run a set of pre functions, then display a screen to the user, and then complete the workflow transition (run post functions).
Therefore, JIRA needs to display the screen to the user, and once the input is acquired and validated, the work is passed to the workflow engine to complete the transition.
Therefore, this functionality would have to be built into JIRA itself. At the moment, the JIRA isue fileds system is quite flexible already, and we are not looking to extend it, as unfortuantely flexibility often comes hand in hand with complexity.
There is an open feature request, JRA-6381, which is asking to be able to select a different set of assignees for each workflow status. However, the request does not ask for being able to select a different default for each workflow status. The JIRA standard is to show the current field values on all edit screens (except for create issue where field defaults are applied as the issue does not exists yet).
If the functionality described in JRA-6381, would help you please vote for JRA-6381, and add yourself as a watcher to it.
For more information on the way new feature and improvement requests are scheduled, please see:
http://confluence.atlassian.com/display/DEV/Implementation+of+New+Features+and+Improvements
Cheers,
Anton
Any update on this feature?