Automation rule for similar issues: what's wrong?

[Dolores Rhyme]

The use case is to link similar issues within a project. The rule needs to check 'similarity' when new issue is created.

It seems like a really simple one, but it doesn't work, issues are not linked:

To test the rule I pick any ticket in the project and create the same with slight modifications or without them at all to increase the chances of 'similarity', but Audit log says:

What do I do wrong?

[Nanda · Accepted solution]

We had a bug recently with a Similar issue description not working for JSM and it was fixed yesterday - https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/AUTO-902.

It should work for JSM now and as @Jack Brickey stated it is only JSM issues. It is still not implemented for Jira software project issues. Hence, it doesn't work on Jira issues.

[Bill Sheboy]

Thanks for that update, @Nanda 

Do you know why that branch type is listed for rules in Jira Software projects, even when JSM is not installed?

Kind regards,
Bill

[Nanda]

I suspect that initially there was a plan to introduce this to Jira Software as well and then it must have been deprioritised.

I have requested to remove the components which are not compatible with JSW projects from the list in Automation section of Software projects.

Also created a feature request for this to be implemented in JSW projects - https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/AUTO-904

[Jack Brickey]

hi @Dolores Rhyme ,

I may be mistaken but I think similar issues only works in JSM projects. I will research a bit. Can you test in JSM if you have it?

[Dolores Rhyme]

Thank you @Jack Brickey  for a quick response. I'll check that and get back. You're an expert here, maybe you saw something to address this case for Jira Software? I'll truly grateful for this.

[Jack Brickey]

I am really not sure how you could do this with automation. It really take a good AI engine to identify "similar". If the issues had the same Summary maybe you could save the new issue Summary into a variable (newSummary) and use in a JQL ~ "{{newSummary}}". but I don't see this working TBH.

FWIW, here is an old post on Similar requests I posted a couple of years back - Similar-requests-what-do-you-guys-think-about-this 

[Dolores Rhyme]

@Jack Brickey 

I've checked the same settings for JSM but Audit log says the same. Interestingly: I've enabled the Similar issues feature in JSM, and it finds the same issues, but he ruke - doesn't.

I miss something in settings I suppose...

[Jack Brickey]

Interesting. I have never played with the similar issues branch but let me give it a try. Questions for you...

• where did you adjust your slider bar to for similar issues branch?
• what are your summaries and descriptions you are testing with

[Dolores Rhyme]

I was thinking about the following if creating something like this 'manually': there's JQL 'text' that checks both summary and description on all the tickets in the backlog and finds similar by the text you mention in this JQL. If there were a possibiluty to check a newly created issue's summary and description with this rule, that could be a way out, but I'm not sure if it's possible.

[Dolores Rhyme]

The first question is here:

[Dolores Rhyme]

I tested it with different tickets. I just pick any ticket in the backlog, then create the same one (summary and description). It never works out.

[Jack Brickey]

So I played with the similar requests branch and it really does not seem to work or I'm completely missing how to use it. I even created a clone and adjusted the slider bar to many variations and it never found the clone. The only time I had any sort of 'success' was by adjusting the slider to not very similar and it found one issue with one matching word in the summary. Long story short I just don't see it this is reliable at all to be honest.

[Dolores Rhyme]

I also think so... Why to roll out such a broken rule then:(( Very frustrating to spend so much time for something that doesn't work. I really appreciate your help. You're a definitely a community leader!

[Jack Brickey]

Thanks Dolores, always glad to help where I can. I'm reaching out to Atlassian colleagues for input. Unfortunately, I do not have access to Support directly so cannot ask there but you may wish to do so. If I find out more I will share it here and would appreciate any for the findings on your part as well. Cheers!

[Bill Sheboy]

Hi @Jack Brickey 

Interestingly that branch type is available in rules even when JSM is not available, like in my free Jira Cloud instance.  I wonder if there is some crawling process that needs to happen (once similar is enabled) before the results are returned.

Kind regards,
Bill

[Dolores Rhyme]

@Jack BrickeyThank you a lot! I'll try also go through them and share the results.

[Jack Brickey]

@Dolores Rhyme , please let us know the results now that apparent fix has bee addressed.