# Edit Work Item - Post Function

## Overview

The **Edit Work Item** post function allows you to automatically update issue fields after a workflow transition. It combines flexibility with control, enabling both straightforward field edits and advanced scenarios such as conditional updates and value copying across related issues.

Key Benefits:

* **Edit multiple fields** – Update several issue fields by a single post function.
* **Conditional execution** – Execute only when preconditions are met, defined through a visual, no-code interface.
* **Custom actor** – Choose the user (actor) who performs the changes, useful when elevated permissions are required.
* **Flexible value handling** – Set static values or copy one field’s value into another within the same issue.
* **Hierarchy support** – Copy field values from the parent issue, up to two levels up in the hierarchy.

<figure><img src="https://4067441311-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fh6orV4J25NOSJvrMyLKk%2Fuploads%2FAE7nDYgEMkmRAluvtz3r%2Fedit_issue_ready_for_release.png?alt=media&#x26;token=9f188a22-7d9d-493a-a282-0b21a3f9527a" alt="Jira Edit Issue post function configuration to copy Deployment Date and Fix Versions fields from parent issue during transition when parent status is Ready for Release"><figcaption><p>Edit Work post function configuration to copy Deployment Date and Fix Versions fields from parent issue during transition when status is Ready for Release</p></figcaption></figure>

## Settings

### **Actor**

Defines who is recorded as having made the changes:

* **User who transitioned the issue** *(default)*
* *Workflow Building Blocks for Jira (app actor)*

The selected actor will appear in the issue’s change history.

* **User who transitioned the issue** – Recommended for most cases; changes are attributed to the actual user.
* **Workflow Building Blocks for Jira** – Has all permissions needed to evaluate preconditions and edit the issue. Recommended for complex scenarios where permission checks might prevent changes from being applied.

{% hint style="info" %}
If you would like additional actor options, you can vote for this feature request: [More actor options for post functions](https://forgappify.canny.io/workflow-building-blocks/p/more-actor-options-for-post-functions)
{% endhint %}

### **Preconditions**

Preconditions control whether the post function runs.

* Configure preconditions using the **condition builder** known from the [**Ultimate Validator**](https://docs.forgappify.com/workflow-building-blocks-for-jira/conditions-validators/ultimate).
* The builder generates a Jira expression, evaluated as the selected **Actor**.
* The post function runs only if the precondition evaluates to `true`.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** An expression may return different results for different users due to permissions. For example, users may see different comments on the same issue.
{% endhint %}

#### Current User option in preconditions

Always represents the **actual** user who performed the transition, regardless of the **Actor** setting.

#### Permission Requirements

* To see groups other users belong to: **Administer Jira** global permission is required.
* To see roles of other users: **Administer Projects** permission for the project, or **Administer Jira** global permission is required.

### Choose Fields

The **Edit Work** post function supports editing the following Jira fields:

| **Text & Selection Fields**        | All text fields, standard select lists (single and multi-select), radio buttons, checkboxes, URL fields, number fields |
| ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **User & Group Fields**            | User picker, team picker, group picker                                                                                 |
| **Issue Metadata**                 | Issue type, priority, resolution, parent, labels, components, project picker                                           |
| **Time Tracking**                  | Original estimate, remaining estimate                                                                                  |
| **Versions & Dates**               | Version pickers, date fields                                                                                           |
| **Agile**                          | Sprint                                                                                                                 |
| **Jira Service Management Fields** | Request type, request participants, organisations                                                                      |

## Understanding Post Functions in Jira

### Order of Post Functions

Post functions perform additional processing after a workflow transition is executed.

When multiple post functions are added to the same transition, **the execution order is not guaranteed**.

Our post functions always operate on the **current data** at the time they run, including when evaluating **preconditions**. If multiple post functions modify the same fields and those fields are referenced in preconditions, the results may vary due to the asynchronous nature of post function execution.