Workflow Rules
Workflow Rules let you inject custom logic into Jira workflow transitions. You can block transitions with Conditions, validate data with Validators, and perform automated actions with Post Functions - all using JavaScript.
The Three Types
| Type | When It Runs | What It Does | If It Fails |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condition | Before showing the transition button | Determines if the user can see/use a transition | Button is hidden (fail-open: if script errors, button shows) |
| Validator | After user clicks transition, before it completes | Validates that required data is present/correct | Transition is blocked with error message (fail-closed: if script errors, transition blocks) |
| Post Function | After transition completes successfully | Performs automated actions | Issue has already transitioned; error is logged but doesn't roll back |
How to Add Workflow Rules
- Go to Project Settings → Workflows and edit the relevant workflow
- Select a transition (e.g., "Start Progress", "Resolve", "Close")
- In the transition properties, add a ScriptForge extension:
- Add a Condition to control who sees the button
- Add a Validator to enforce data requirements
- Add a Post Function to automate follow-up actions
ScriptForge workflow rules appear as Forge-powered rules in the workflow editor.
Execution Context
All workflow rule scripts receive context about:
- The issue being transitioned
- The user performing the transition
- The transition being executed (from/to status)
Fail Behaviour
- Conditions fail-open: If your condition script throws an error, the transition button is shown anyway. This prevents broken scripts from permanently blocking workflow progress.
- Validators fail-closed: If your validator script throws an error, the transition is blocked. This ensures data integrity - if the validator can't verify data, it's safer to block.
- Post Functions log errors: If a post function fails, the transition has already happened. The error is recorded in the activity log but doesn't affect the issue's state.