Sum up story points and keep parent and subtask in sync

Step 1: Choose your trigger

Every rule starts with a trigger. In this case, we want to choose the ‘Field value changed’ trigger. We select the exact field we are listening out for, in this case ‘story points’. Now whenever this field changes in Jira, this automation rule kicks in.

Step 2: Add ‘Issue fields’ condition

A condition refines the rule so it won’t act too broadly. Here, we choose the ‘Issue fields' condition and clarify that the issue type we are looking out for is a sub-task. A good tip for checking your progress is to say aloud what you have built so far: ‘Whenever the field value changes for story points AND it is a sub-task…’

Step 3: Add a Branch rule / related issues

Using this branch component, we can move away from the main trunk of the rule and work on related issues. This can be almost anything you want. In this case, we want to perform an action on the parent of the sub-task so in the dropdown menu, we choose ‘Parent’. Again say it aloud:

‘Whenever the field value changes for story points AND it is a sub-task…THEN for the parent of the sub-task…

Step 4: Add ‘Edit Issue’ action

Whenever you want to edit a field in Jira, use the ‘Edit issue’ action. In the dropdown menu, you simply choose the field you want to work on, including custom fields and then edit.

There are many ways you can edit a field. Smart values are one of the most potent ways to do so. They allow you to access and manipulate almost any data in Jira. We use the following smart-value to sum up story points from all sub-tasks: {{issue.subtasks.Story Points.sum}}

Now whenever the story points of a sub-task changes, it will be reflected in the parent issue.

Step 5: Test it!

As ever, test this rule out in your own instance. Create a sample project and follow all of the breadcrumbs in the audit log of the rule details.