We have an automation in place in Jira software project end such that it links the source and destination tickets created in JSM and Jira using this field and this missing field is preventing the automation from linking the issues.
Could you please check why the field did not get populated?
This happens sometimes, works for almost all the issues. But we want to know why it fails to populate the value sometimes and if it is possible to populate this field from your end, as the Jira automation is currently unable to establish the link and this is causing disruptions in production?
Please find the script used below for your reference.
It sounds like you’re experiencing intermittent issues where the “Linked issue key” custom field isn’t being populated, which then disrupts your Jira automation. Based on Exalate documentation, there are a couple of common causes and workarounds for this kind of behavior:
Custom Field Updates and Automation Timing:
If you have Jira automations that update fields based on changes made by Exalate, there can be a timing conflict. Exalate applies changes in a specific sequence, and if an automation updates a field after Exalate’s initial update, Exalate might overwrite or revert that change when it finishes processing. This can result in fields not being populated as expected, or values being reset.
More details and a workaround are described here: Custom Fields are Randomly Updating
Workaround:
The recommended workaround is to remove the custom field from the Exalate sync script after it’s set, so Exalate doesn’t overwrite changes made by your automation. For example, in your incoming sync script, after setting the field, add:
issue.customFields.remove("Linked issue key")
// or use the field ID if needed
issue.customFields.remove("10761")
This prevents Exalate from reapplying the value and interfering with your automation.
Field Configuration:
Also, ensure that the “Linked issue key” field is present on the relevant Create and Update screens in Jira. If it’s not, Exalate may not be able to set it reliably.
More info: Error Creating or Updating Issue: Field Can’t be Set
In summary, the intermittent issue is likely due to a race condition between Exalate and your Jira automation. Adjusting your sync script as above should help stabilize the field population. If you need to ensure the field is always set by Exalate, consider handling the linking logic entirely within the sync script, rather than relying on Jira automation.
Let me know if you need more details on modifying your sync script!