Jira Automation fails to modify issue title when using system actor

[bellagarcia]

Hey everyone,

I’m having trouble with a Jira automation rule and could use some help. Here’s my setup:

• Platform: Atlassian Cloud
• Product: Jira Service Management
• Project: Team-managed type

The Problem:

I built an automation that updates the issue title using data from other custom fields. Everything works perfectly when I run it as myself (using my user as the actor). But when I switch the actor to “Automation for Jira” system user, it breaks.

The automation log shows this error:

Edited work item successfully, however some of the set fields aren't available. Fields ignored:Summary (summary)

What I’ve tried:

I checked the basic permissions but I’m not sure how the system automation user gets its rights in team-managed projects. I thought it would have full access to modify issue fields by default.

Questions:

1. Does the Automation for Jira user need special permissions for team-managed projects?
2. Are there any workarounds to get this working?
3. Has anyone else run into this specific issue?

Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!

[Alex_Brave]

had the same problem last year. the system actor breaks when u try to edit summary fields in team-managed projects. a quick workaround is to run the automation under a real user account instead of the system one. not perfect, but atlassian still hasn’t fixed this bug.

[livbrown]

Had this exact problem 6 months ago with ticket naming automation. Team-managed projects restrict the system automation user from accessing certain fields like Summary - it’s different from company-managed projects. Here’s what worked: I created a dedicated service account just for automations. Set up a basic Atlassian account, gave it admin permissions on the project, then ran the automation under that account instead of the system user. Completely bypasses the permission issues and keeps automation separate from personal accounts. You’ll need an extra license, but it’s been rock solid. Way more reliable than fighting system user limitations or juggling personal accounts.

[JumpingRabbit]

This issue is indeed a known limitation with Jira’s automation in team-managed projects. The Automation for Jira user does not have the same permissions as regular users, which can lead to problems when trying to edit core fields like the Summary. I encountered a similar issue when I attempted to automate title updates based on input from custom fields. The best workaround I’ve found is to run the automation under a specific user account that has project admin rights. If that’s not an option, consider creating the automation at a global level, although this requires Jira admin permissions and may not be feasible in all organizations. Atlassian is aware of these inconsistencies, but there’s no set timeline for a resolution.