Jira system admins have to do a lot within larger companies and cannot take care about individual projects out of hundreds. Therefore, you can setup and configure all necessary sign-off/approval-rules for my app "Group Sign-Off/Multi-Approvals for Jira" as project administrator, now: such rule for sign-off/approval will be stored as a default value within a new context of the related custom field for the maintained project only. Additionally, all screens will be adjusted to also contain this Group Sign-Off field except for the screen of the issue-create-operation.





Create additional customfield(s)

Please create any many new customfields of type "Group Sign-Off" as you need, like "Steering Committee", "Product Board" etc. Within this documentation, I am focussing on one new customfield named "Sign-Off". If you are not familiar with creation of new customfields, please have a look at the Atlassian documentation for this standard feature of JIRA.

In order to get the related unique ID of your new customfield, please click on the "configure" menu item as visible on the screenshot.
Within the URL, you will find the unique ID of your customfield as parameter, here: 10100. Please write it down to remember. You will need it while configuring listeners later.
You have to determine, who is allowed to make a decision. Using the feature of setting a default value of a customfield, you can define it once and it will be taken over while creating a new issue automatically.

A definition of a decision is divided into two parts and stored as value within the related customfield:
  • the list of responsible users being able and allowed to decide and
  • a rule to determine the final result of the decision.


The list starts at the first character, first line with the login name of the responsible user: one user per line. Each line has to be terminated by a line-break. If the login name is unknown, it will not be displayed on the screen. The list of users end with a blank line for a better overview.

The rule for the decision starts with "sign-off=" followed by a boolean expression. Internal validation of the rule will be done by replacing all login names by their related decisions (sign-off = true and decline = false, pending = nothing). As soon as this rule results in a final TRUE or FALSE, it triggers the configured listener (see below). Having no individual decisions at the beginning or necessary pending ones, the result cannot be determined and nothing happens. The boolean expression can contain brackets "(" and ")" as well as "AND" and "OR" to describe the relationship of individual decisions. If the IT-boss or her/his representative can decide, one of both sign-offs is enough, and the business product owner has to sign-off as well the rule would be like: (boss OR representative) AND productOwner.

fpolscheit
representative

sign-off=(fpolscheit OR representative)

 If you want to put additional information in front of the user name, you can add this as a comment straight after the user name without any spacing and enclosed by /* and */. Attention: you have to use the combination of name and comment as unique identifier within the sign-off rule. Background: you may have different roles and act in different contexts.

fpolscheit/*Manager*/
representative/*Alternative Voting by*/

sign-off=(fpolscheit/*Manager*/ OR representative/*Alternative Voting by*/)






Dynamic Rule(s) for more complex but flexible approaches

Instead of explicitly declare a list of users and a sign-off rule using boolean algebra, you can specify a dynamic rule, which extracts the users out of referred other custom fields like single- or multi-user pickers etc. A dynamic rule MUST start with a first line just containing "// conditional rule". Then, users and a rule has to be defined as described below.

Within a dynamic rule, the reserved words in blue within the following complex example are mandatory!
Within a condition, you can use all methods provided by JIRA's issue API. The helper object provides the following methods:

  • contains(collection, string)
  • contains(collection, id as number)
  • getCF(issue, customfieldName)
  • getCFms(issue, customfieldName) to retrieve a customfield's value in milliseconds
  • getUsersByCustomfield(issue, customfieldName, operand) to retrieve a (list of) user(s)
  • getUsersByProjectRole(issue, JiraProjectRoleName, operand) to retrieve a list of users
  • getUsersByGroup(issue, JiraGroupName, operand) to retrieve a list of users
  • concat(list, operand) to append a list of users using logical operand like "AND" or "OR" within a rule definition and "," within user definition
  • log(data) to write data into JIRA's logfile.

If you are using getUsersByCustomfield(), getUsersByProjectRole(), getUsersByGroup() the name of the referred element (custom field, project role or group) will be displayed in front of the retrieved user name since Group Sign-Off version 1.4.0.


// conditional rule

users =""+helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue,"Board Members",",");
rule =""+helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue,"Board Members","OR");


Please use the exact syntax above for dynamically specifying the list of user(s) based on the referred custom field. Users must be a comma separated list, that why the operand is a comma. The rule must be a sequence of users, concatenated by a boolean operand (AND or OR). By the first voting, the content of the customfield, referenced by name as parameter, will be taken over and the members will become a fix list.

Instead of using the custom field's name, you can also use it's ID: please put that number into the quotes like "10023" instead of "Board Members".


// conditional rule
if ( helper.contains(issue.getComponentObjects(),"Component A") ) {
    users = "fpolscheit, admin";
    rule = "fpolscheit OR admin";
} else if ( helper.contains(issue.getComponentObjects(),"Component B") && (issue.getPriorityObject().getName() == "Blocker")) { 
    users = "admin, tester"; 
    rule = "admin AND tester"; 
} else { 
users = "admin"; 
    rule = "admin"; 
}


You can also access all function of an issue provided by the Atlassian Java API, like within the following sample of extracting the issue's reporter and use this for approval:


// conditional rule
users = "" + issue.getReporter().getName();
rule = "" + issue.getReporter().getName();


If you are using multiple custom fields to retrieve all users, who have to decide all together, you have to concatenate the custom fields content and use a logical operator within the dynamic rule. The sample below illustrates proper usage.

// conditional rule

users =""+helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue,"Board Members",",") + helper.concat(helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue,"Managers", ","), ",");
rule =""+helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue,"Board Members","OR") + helper.concat(helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue,"Managers", "OR"), "AND");

All members of the custom field "Managers" will be appended but if there is at least one user, only.
BUT: this rule works fine as long as the custom field "Board Members" is not empty! In this case, the user list would start with a leading "," as a result of the appended/concatenated managers, which forces a syntax error. To avoid this, ensure that users and rules are not empty when appending data by calling the function concat() or get rid of leading operators afterward, alternatively. This second approach is used within the following sample:

// conditional rule
users = "" + helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue, "myApprovers1",",")
                  + helper.concat(helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue, "myApprovers2",","), ",")
 
                  + helper.concat(helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue, "myApprovers3",","), ",");
rule  = ""   + helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue, "myApprovers1","AND")
                  + helper.concat(helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue, "myApprovers2","AND"), "OR")
                  + helper.concat(helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue, "myApprovers3","AND"), "OR“);

// in case that the first customfield 'myApprovers1' is empty: get rid of leading ','
// within the user list as well as the leading 'AND' within the rule:
users = users.replace(/^\s*,\s*/,"“);
rule = rule.replace(/^\s*AND\s*/,"");

Advanced feature for experienced power-user:

  • in addition to the object issue, you can read other issues rather than the current issue by using all methods of issueManager (click to jump to Atlassian's API docu) since app version 2.5.0 of Group Sign-Off for Jira Server/DataCenter. Since Group Sign-Off version 2.5.9, the methods of issueServiceissueLinkManager as well as user are also available.

Using these advanced features, you can configure suitable solutions for even more complex business scenarios.

// conditional rule
var users = "";
var rule = "";
var epicLink = "customfield_10016";     /* your "Epic-Verknüpfung" resp. "Epic Link" field */

var myEpicKey = ""+helper.getCF(issue, epicLink);
if (myEpicKey != null && myEpicKey.length > 0) {
    var epic = issueManager.getIssueByCurrentKey(myEpicKey);
    if (epic) {
      users += helper.getUsersByCustomfield(epic,"Approvers",",");
      rule += helper.getUsersByCustomfield(epic,"Approvers","OR");
    }
}


Pay attention: using a dynamic rule, it's resulting set of deciders will be automatically turned into a static equivalent by the first decision for integrity reasons!

Background information: if someone has voted (declined or signed-off) and the members of a decision would be changed later, you can manipulate the total result by removing deciders with unwanted votes or add additional deciders. To avoid this, an automatic transition into a fix set of deciders will be done together with the first vote.

Additional Options

Additional options can be added at the end of the definition like shown below.
ATTENTION: put an option per line and do not terminate by a semicolon.

Vote/decide multiple times revoking prior one

  • optionOnce=false|true(is default) : decide and reverse decision multiple times if set to false

Vote/decide multiple times revoking prior one - but limited to revert declines, only

  • optionRevertDeclines=true|false(is default): decide and be able to reverse declines later, multiple times if set to true!

Disable delegation of decisions

  • optionDelegation=false|true(is default) : prevent from delegation by deciders (available in v1.4.2.2 for JIRA 6)

Confirm decision by entering password again (re-authenticate)

  • optionReAuthenticate=true : require re-authentication by entering the user's password again to confirm (available since v1.4.7 for JIRA 7)

Disable forcing a comment if decline

  • optionNoCommentIfDecline : by default, if a decider declines, a comment is forced to justify, but using this option it is ignored

Overwrite standard behavior to reload an issue after deciding

  • optionNoReload : by default, an issue is reloaded after deciding to properly display its status etc., which may have changed by that decision by configured listeners or workflow post functions in the background.

Disable displaying individual users

  • optionDisplayNoUsers : by default, all users being identified as deciders are displayed including their voting, but using this option these details are omitted:
    As admin, you will see all users' decisions independent from this option setting, so that you will get all necessary information for justifications if a result is regarded in doubt.
    As decider, you will see just your own decisions or both buttons "sign-off" and "decline".
    As normal user, you will see each role (like the name of the referenced customfield or project role in case of dynamic rules) and their sum of decisions including related timestamps but without details about individual deciders and their concrete decisions.

Display decision buttons for deciders only if their decision has got an immediate and direct effect on the total result

  • optionDecisionWithEffectOnlyby default, all deciders will see the buttons for declining or signing off. If you want to reduce that just for deciders, whose decision has got an immediate effect on the total result then use this option (available since v1.6.6) depending on the complexity of your dynamic rule. In that case, a decline as well as a sign-off decision of the current decider will be simulated: if that forces a change of the total result, e.g. switching from "pending" to "signed-off" or "declined". If your dynamic rule contains e.g. "(user1 AND user2)", then it does not make sense as user1's decision will have no effect until user2 has signed-off. So, usage highly depends on your sign-off rule for specific cases!


fpolscheit
representative

sign-off=(fpolscheit OR representative)
optionOnce=false



Re-authenticate by entering password to confirm decision if configured as option.

Special Function(s)

  • check(param1, param2, param-3, ..., param-n) for a certain amount of specified decisions

with param-1: Boolean value TRUE or FALSE, whereas true indicates sign-off and false indicates decline
param-2: threshold, resp. minimum amount of decisions as specified within param1 to return the value of param1, otherwise this function will return null
param-3, ..., param-n: comma-separated list of deciders


fpolscheit
representative
anotherPerson

 sign-off=check(true, 2, fpolscheit,representative,anotherPerson) OR check(false, 1, fpolscheit,representative,anotherPerson)


If at least one decider declines, the sign-off will be "declined" or if at least two deciders have voted for sign-off, the result will be "signed-off".

Based on 3 possible results of function check(null, true, false), the sequence of both function calls combined with OR is important: if you change both, it will not work properly! Based on boolean logic, false OR null results in null, whereas null OR false results in false which is what you would like to get. So, the check for declined votes via check(false,...) has to be the second part after the OR-connector.

A more complex sample combines the check-function with other dynamic helper-functions retrieving sets of deciders: at least 2 deciders out of the project roles "Developers" and "Administrators" have to sign-off, so that this rule switches into the state "signed-off". But if 1 decider declines, it results into "declined", immediately.

// conditional rule
users=""+helper.getUsersByProjectRole(issue,"Developers",",")+helper.concat(helper.getUsersByProjectRole(issue,"Administrators",",") , ",")
rule="check(true, 2, " + helper.getUsersByProjectRole(issue,"Developers",",") + helper.concat(helper.getUsersByProjectRole(issue,"Administrators",",") , ",") + ") OR check(false, 1, " + helper.getUsersByProjectRole(issue,"Developers",",") + helper.concat(helper.getUsersByProjectRole(issue,"Administrators",",") , ",") + ")"

Expanation: using a dynamic rule, that rule must get a string in quotes like rule = "check(true, 2, x, y, z) OR check(false, 1, x, y, z)", whereas x, y, z is build by helper-functions like a concat of getUsersByProjectRole().

  • wait_for_all( ... )

with list of related deciders as comma-separated params like shown within the sample below: just expand your sign-off rule by prepending a call to the function wait_for_all() if you want to overrule the default behavior of switching into the final state as soon as possible.

Using a dynamic rule, you have to prepend a call to "wait_for_all()" by concat your original rule like illustrated within the following sample:

// conditional rule
users = ""+helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue,"Approvers",",");
rule =  "wait_for_all(" + users+ ") " + helper.concat(helper.getUsersByCustomfield(issue,"Approvers","AND"), "AND");



Create additional listener(s) for automatic workflow transition(s)

You can add multiple listeners to define a switch within your workflow. In case of a signed-off issue, the automatically executed workflow transition should be different from the one in case of declining that issue. As soon as enough individual decisions have been done to determine the final result of the overall decision, this listeners will execute the specified workflow transition immediately like JIRA's event system. Nobody has to check decisions manually!

Within admin mode, please select "system -> advanced -> listeners" in order to insert a new listener. The class name must be de.polscheit.jira.plugins.listener.WorkflowAutoTransition whereas the name of the listener can by like you want.
After having created a new listener, you must edit it: just click on the related button on the right side of the listener.
You must specify three parameters:
  • customfield ID: please enter the ID (see above)
  • decision result: please enter the expected result to trigger this listener as signed-off or declined
  • transition ID: please enter the ID of the workflow transition, which has to be executed in case of matching the decision result as defined above.


Attention: please take care, that your IDs exist and that the specified workflow transition can be executed within your workflow sequence.
Also, do not block such transition by any Condition other than "" (block this transition for all but specified user, like 'technical-user' only.)!



In case of any problem, the listener cannot execute it. Therefore, I recommend to test your settings carefully!

Modify your workflow(s) with new Condition(s)

At the point of time when a group decision shall happen, it does not make sense to click on the related button and continue the workflow without synchronisation with the result of the decision. So, you have to block the further processing by adding a workflow condition "Group Sign-Off". 

You have to specify the customfield, the workflow condition checks if the result of the rule is equal to the specified value: in that case, the related workflow transition will be visible and executable by a permitted user.

Using the blocking condition "", please enter "technical-user" as name into the input field as shown below: automatically, the GSO listeners are executing a sudo to "technical-user" while forcing any workflow transition.

Modify your workflow(s) with new Validator(s)

Alternatively, you can configure workflow validators for your transitions to define prerequisite results of the related group sign-off field(s) accordingly.

Modify your workflow(s) with new Post Function(s)

  • reset my decision: a prior decision of the logged in user will be reset and all others are kept.
  • reset my LAST decision: using a dynamic rule it may occur that a user has multiple roles as decider/approver resulting in multiple sign-offs/declines. Use this function to reset the last decision of logged in user keeping all others. (available since Group Sign-Off v1.4.1)
  • not me: using a dynamic rule e.g. based on multi-user picker, you can specify that the current user will not be listed as decider for that issue.

You have to specify the customfield, the workflow post funciton will use to modify/reset. 


Analog to add a new workflow condition or validator, you can add a Group Sign-Off Post Function

Email-Notifications (available since v2.4.1)

Each project admin can enable Email-Notifications per Group Sign-Off custom field within the related project administration. Additionally, you can specify which issues fields shall be included in such emails for information without the necessity to open the related issue itself (see sample below).

As a decider, you just have to click on the button "Sign-Off" or "Decline" within the email: if you are already logged in to your Jira within an open browser - such single click is enough to approve! Otherwise, you have to log in for security reasons but that's it.



Custom Events "Issue Signed-Off Event" and "Issue Declined Event" for automatic Notifications/Emails

As soon as a final decision has been determined, a related "Issue Signed-Off Event" or "Issue Declined Event" are fired.
Both events are custom events, which are created by the app automatically.

This feature is available since version 1.7.0.


Within a project's notification scheme, you can configure automatic sending of emails to various persons of interest like reporter, watchers etc.

Please refer to the original documentation of Atlassian, if you are not familiar with Notification Schemes of Jira.


Having properly configured notifications for issue signed-off or declined events, the related users will get emails analog to Jira's standard notification "issue update" like shown on sample email on the right.

JQL functions

Please check and verify that your configured customfield uses the “Group Sign-Off Searcher”. If you have configured the “Group Sign-Off Alternative Searcher (searching as text)”, you can use the "~" operator to search text within the group sign-off definitions but not the following JQL functions!

pendingDecisionsByCurrentUser(project key, Group Sign-Off customfield name)

You can search for all issues of a specified project having a pending decision for the specified Group Sign-Off custom field of the currently logged-in user.


CheckForCurrentUser(project key, Group Sign-Off customfield name, decision)

You can search for all issues of a specified project being "signed-off" or "declined" for the specified Group Sign-Off custom field of the currently logged-in user.


CheckForUser(project key, Group Sign-Off customfield name, decision, user)

You can search for all issues of a specified project having a decision as 'pending', 'signed-off' or 'declined' for the specified Group Sign-Off custom field by the specified user.





Support of "Rich filters" on Jira dashboards

see: Support of "Rich filters" on Jira dashboards

Reporting

Report of all pending decisions within specified project or by individual (multi-project) filter.