Automation Rule receiving - Error parsing template: smart values Epic deprecation
Asked by Patrick Hicks:

Updating an automation rule this morning, changing only content to be posted to a custom field, received the Error parsing template error when publishing the rule, and is prohibiting the rule from being published.![JIRA Error.PNG](/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/255321i4E7D98F222EA9D73/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "JIRA Error.PNG")

Where this smart value is derived from variables created earlier in the rule that are not showing any errors.  

Further analysis shows that renaming the variables, by replacing epic with something else resolves the error, and it is able to publish the rule.   

Is there another way around this error? is this a bug in the publishing validation where it is popping the error cause the smart value contains a formula that is using variables with the name containing the work epic?


Answers:
author: Bill Sheboy
body: Hi [@Patrick Hicks](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/4953187)

Would you please show the actions which create those other two created variables? Those may reveal the source of the symptom as it appears the values are getting parsed as when the rule editor attempts to save this action.

I hypothesize from the names that those are counts from lookup issue action calls, either filtered or unfiltered, and so perhaps the original JQL for the lookups is the problem.

Kind regards,  
Bill

comments: author: Patrick Hicks
body: This is a fairly lengthy rule, to minimize, this is a scheduled trigger, pulling all active epics within a project, and then parcing the task and subtask down to counts utilizing portfoliochildofIssue function.

![JIRA Error -trigger.PNG](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/255506iF82BFF42A7E0217B/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "JIRA Error -trigger.PNG")

Below is a snippet of how the lookup are done to develop the variables.

![JIRA Error - vlookup and variable.PNG](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/255507i20EAFED23E44FF62/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "JIRA Error - vlookup and variable.PNG")

and from the prior you can see that it is erring on smartvalue that contain the word epic.


author: Bill Sheboy
body: Using those exact same created variable names, I was not able to reproduce the symptom you are seeing. However I do not have advanced roadmaps and so cannot replicate the same JQL you are using in the lookup issues actions.

I wonder if this is related to the advanced roadmaps feature of JQL you are using. In any case, I recommend working with your site admin to submit a support ticket to Atlassian to see what they say: <https://support.atlassian.com/contact/#/>


author: Mikael Sandberg
body: Parent link and Epic link are being replaced by parent, and it looks like this change that is currently rolling out has hit your instance and that is why your automation is giving you this error. You can learn more about the change in [this article](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-articles/Upcoming-changes-to-epic-fields-in-company-managed-projects/ba-p/1997562), and if you go to admin.atlaissan.com \> Products \> Product updates you can find more info about it too.

comments: author: Patrick Hicks
body: thank you for the reference material. the issue is that nothing in the rule is referencing epic name, epic link, or parent link, and is erroring on the smart value field because it contains the word epic.   

***"Further analysis shows that renaming the variables, by replacing epic with something else resolves the error, and it is able to publish the rule. "***- from above


Tags: cloud