Using Smart values to sum two Number fields
Asked by Nelly Sammak:

Hello,

I have 2 Number fields, each time a user enters a value to the first one Field1, Field2 should be updated as the below logic:

Field2=Field2+Field1

In my Automation rule, I used "Field value changed" for Field1, and as action, I've selected "Edit issue fields" to edit Field2, then I used the below to set Field2:

{{issue.Field1.plus(issue.Field2)}}

{{#=}}{{issue.Field1}} +{{issue.Field2}}{{/}}

Nothing is working.

What I'm missing?


Answers:
author: Darryl Lee
body: Hi Nelly!

It would be helpful if you could take a screenshot of your rule so that we can look at the triggers, logic, etc.

Additionally, it's always helpful when troubleshooting to liberally use **Log action**to capture exactly what Smart Values might be doing. That would look something like this:

![Screen Shot 2021-05-07 at 11.58.36 AM.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/142620i861764C6B8ED62C5/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screen Shot 2021-05-07 at 11.58.36 AM.png")

comments: author: Nelly Sammak
body: Hello Darryl

Sure! Here you go.

Here's the rule

![Screen Shot 2021-05-07 at 3.54.17 PM.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/142626iF3C8DAABDD2F016A/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screen Shot 2021-05-07 at 3.54.17 PM.png")

Here's the log

![Screen Shot 2021-05-07 at 3.53.23 PM.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/142627iCBA33344F0D2F9F7/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screen Shot 2021-05-07 at 3.53.23 PM.png")

And the issue

![Screen Shot 2021-05-07 at 3.56.31 PM.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/142628iD6DF3EE1189E48FD/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screen Shot 2021-05-07 at 3.56.31 PM.png")

I did the same for the equal , but always the Field1 is always empty.

Thanks

Nelly


author: Darryl Lee
body: Hrm. I wonder if **timeSpent** is a reserved word for timetracking. I see various references to it here:

<https://support.atlassian.com/jira-software-cloud/docs/smart-values-math-expressions/>

If that's the case, you might be better off using the Custom Field ID which you can find via the **Using URL** suggestion here: <https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirakb/how-to-find-id-for-custom-field-s-744522503.html>

Once you find that, you would use: {{issue.customfield_12345}}

Oh, one other idea before doing that is to try: {{issue."TimeSpent"}}


author: Darryl Lee
body: Ah, confirmed that Automation already has a built-in "timespent" field. So yes, try putting it in quotes, or using the custom field ID.

<https://codebarrel.atlassian.net/browse/AUT-1247>


author: Nelly Sammak
body: Hello Darryl

I used the custom field id and that solved the problem.

Thank you very much

Nelly


author: Darryl Lee
body: I probably should take a step back though and ask why you're using custom fields to track time spent, when you could have people use the built-in **Time Tracking** functionality which does all of this for you:

<https://support.atlassian.com/jira-cloud-administration/docs/configure-time-tracking/>

If it's a concern that you want people to log work during particular transitions, you can add the **"Time tracking"** field and it will display appropriate fields for time spent, estimated time left, etc.


Tags: number

smart-value