Jira automation is an excellent way to reduce repetitive tasks and optimize time. If you have well-defined processes, Jira automation can be a powerful ally for tasks like field completion upon issue creation, priority categorization, alerts and notifications, SLA control, and more.
In November 2023, Jira updated its automation package. Previously, all Jira Cloud products had a single, bundled automation limit; now, limits are allocated based on each plan’s product.
Number of executions per month based on your plan
| Free | Standard | Premium | Enterprise | |
| Jira | 100 | 1700 | 1000 x nº of users | Unlimited |
| Jira Service Management | 500 | 5000 | 1000 x nº of users | Unlimited |
| Jira Product Discovery | 200 | 500 | 1000 x nº of users | Not available |
| Confluence | Not available | Not available | 1000 x nº of users | Unlimited |
One key change in the new package is that only successful automation executions count toward the limit, unlike before, when any rule triggered would count, regardless of success. To track execution usage, Jira administrators can check the Global Automation’s Usage tab, which shows the top 100 most-used automations.
To save execution limits, use native Jira workflow features like conditions, validators, and post-functions. Leverage these native conditions and post-functions whenever possible to build effective automations and reduce unnecessary executions for smoother, more efficient operations.
Here are some examples of automations using workflow post-functions:
- During the transition to closed status, you can select the post function to update a Jira field (limited to default fields) and set the resolution to “completed”;
- Insert information into custom fields upon a specific transition.;
- Auto-assign the agent who completed the transition, ensuring an assigned responsible party whenever the issue is moved.
- Copy the value from one field to another;
- Clear the information from a specific field;
- Trigger a webhook;
Best practices for creating automations
- Avoid using issue creation as a trigger, as it will directly impact the number of executions..
- Try to vary the trigger and be more specific about when the action should occur. You can check the available triggers here.
- Use the automation for Jira user as the rule executor, as this user must have the necessary permissions to activate the rule and perform all required actions. For example, if a rule creates a comment on an item, the rule executor must have “Add Comment” permission. Otherwise, the rule will result in an error.
- Check that rules do not conflict with one another.
- Ensure that automation rules do not include too many conditions, to avoid prolonged processing time, which could affect loop detection. For further information, refer to automation service limits here.
In cases where the native workflow automations are not sufficient to meet business rules and/or the monthly execution limit is being reached, third-party apps are the solution.
Alternatives to get around Jira Automation Limits
If native Jira automation doesn’t meet your business rules or if execution limits are reached, consider third-party apps. The Atlassian Marketplace offers various automation solutions for Jira, each with distinct features and advantages.
Jira Misc Workflow Extension (JMWE)
JMWE offers a wide range of extensions for Jira workflows, making it easier to set up and customize workflows without requiring coding. It enables the creation of conditions, validations, post functions, and automated actions based on workflow transitions, all with a high level of user-friendliness thanks to its intuitive interface.
Automation Suite for Jira Workflows (JSU)
With an intuitive interface and a broad range of features, JSU allows for the easy and efficient configuration of automated transitions, validations, and conditions. This tool streamlines the creation of custom rules to ensure that each step in the workflow is followed correctly.
JWT also offers a variety of conditions, validations, and post functions for Jira workflows, focusing on advanced functionality and customization without coding, although it does support Groovy script execution. JWT stands out for its ability to handle complex conditional logic and manipulate custom fields, enabling the creation of highly tailored workflows that meet specific business requirements. One of its limitations, however, is that while it supports Groovy scripting, its scripting capabilities are not as extensive as those offered by ScriptRunner.
ScriptRunner is one of the most popular options, as it provides conditions, validations, and post functions for workflows and also enables complex, custom automations using Groovy scripts. ScriptRunner includes an extensive library of pre-built scripts and robust integrations with external systems, such as databases, CI/CD, web services, repositories, and more. It requires knowledge of scripting, specifically Groovy, which may be challenging for non-technical users and may lead to overly complex configurations for simple automations, resulting in a more complicated setup than necessary.
In general, we recommend using JMWE when you need to create customized workflows and automate repetitive tasks within Jira. JMWE is ideal for actions like status transitions, field updates, and automatic notifications, making it especially useful for setups that don’t require complex coding.
We also recommend JSU for simplicity and efficiency, particularly for users who prefer to avoid coding. JSU offers quick and effective configurations, providing a range of conditions and post functions that make it easy to automate common tasks in Jira.
JWT is a good choice when deeper and more complex integrations with external systems are required, or when you need to run scripts that interact directly with the Jira API.
Finally, ScriptRunner is recommended when maximum control and flexibility are desired for automating and customizing Jira. ScriptRunner allows for the creation of complex scripts that can be used for a variety of tasks, including field validations, post functions, conditions, and even scheduled scripts. This is the best option for users with programming skills who need a robust and highly customizable solution.
All the tools mentioned above share a common limitation: they support a maximum of 100 webhooks. This means they can notify the app when specific events happen, such as a new comment or field update, but are capped at 100 notifications per occurrence.
When selecting the right tool for workflow automation in Jira, it’s essential to consider the level of complexity required, the technical expertise of the team, and the specific business process requirements. Each of these tools offers unique advantages that can be leveraged as needed, ensuring efficient and customized workflow management.
Unique benefits of Jira’s native automations
While third-party applications offer advanced and tailored solutions, there are still situations where it’s better to rely on Jira’s native automations.
Email Use
Due to data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Law (LGPD), it’s critical to ensure that sensitive customer and user information is handled securely and in compliance with the law. Jira’s native automations are designed to comply with these regulations, reducing the risk of data breaches that can occur with third-party apps. Therefore, for automations dealing with personal data and email communications, we strongly recommend using Jira’s native functionalities. This not only ensures LGPD compliance but also simplifies sensitive data management, ensuring it is handled with the proper level of security and privacy.
SLA (Service Level Agreement)
Third-party apps do not offer the same depth of integration with SLAs, as the SLA field in Jira Service Management is not available for monitoring by external apps. Jira also has specific SLA triggers, such as “SLA threshold breached,” which allows for actions to be executed automatically when an SLA is close to or has already been breached. This enables an immediate and effective response directly within Jira, which may be more complex or less efficient to implement with third-party applications. Additionally, using native automations ensures better compliance with data protection regulations and greater system stability.
Slack Integration
Jira offers robust native integration with Slack, with specific triggers that can help monitor issues and keep all team members informed without needing to switch between tools. Here are some example applications:
- New Ticket Notification: Whenever a new ticket is created, a message is automatically sent to a designated Slack channel.
- Status Change: When a ticket’s status changes, a notification is sent to the responsible user via direct message on Slack.
Through Automation for Jira, you can receive targeted notifications using well-defined triggers and conditions, as in the examples below:
- Escalation Rule: If a high-priority ticket is not updated within 48 hours, a notification is sent to a management channel on Slack, and the ticket is automatically assigned to a supervisor.
- Custom Field Update: When a ticket is moved to “Completed,” an automated rule updates the “Completion Date” field and sends a consolidated weekly report to an analysis channel on Slack.
Sources for this article:
Software Consultant at e-Core
