Using app user to update non-editable fields

Use case

In many workflows, issues in the Done status are locked for editing using the workflow property jira.issue.editable = false, ensuring that completed issues remain unchanged. However, there are scenarios where updates are still needed after completion - for example, marking a billable task as billed once it has been invoiced.

This is where the Jira Workflow Toolbox app user becomes useful. Even if the issue is otherwise locked, updates can still be performed using the App user. In this case, a dedicated transition (e.g. "Billed") is created, and a post function updates a custom field to reflect the billing status - without altering the issue’s resolved state.

🗒️ Prerequisite

To prevent changes after completion, the Done status must include the workflow property jira.issue.editable = false, which blocks both manual and automated edits.

To allow a controlled update for billing purposes:

A custom field (e.g. Billed) must be available in the field context beforehand.
A workflow transition (e.g. Billed) must exist.
A post function must be configured on this transition to update the Billed field accordingly.

⚒️ Configuration

In the workflow editor, select the transition (e.g. Billed) and add a Update fields post function to set the desired field value.

Target issue*

Choose Current issue

Fields*

Select the field that you are using as the billed flag. In our use case it's is a basic text field called Billed

Expression*

Set the expression editor to General mode and enter the following expression:

Yes

Run as*

Choose Jira Workflow Toolbox app user .

Pro tip

It’s important to run this post function as the App user, since the issue is not editable under normal permissions. The App user has the necessary rights to perform the update even when the issue is locked.

📚 Related Examples

Use case	Workflow function	Parser functions
Add a sub-task's summary and key to the description of its parent	Update fields
Add three days skipping weekends automatically to a Date Picker	Update fields
Add watchers from another field	Update fields Transition issue	union() toStringList()
Assign an issue to the project lead, if the issue is unassigned on creation	Update fields
Assign an issue to the user who last commented on it	Update fields
Assign important issues to the project lead	Update fields
Automatically add incident reporters to problem tickets	Update fields	append() fieldValue() linkedIssues() toStringList()
Background priority calculation	Update fields	avg()
Copy field values from epic to issues under it after creation	Update fields Transition issue	epic() issuesUnderEpic() filterByStatus()
Copy labels of a sub-task to the parent issue upon closing	Update fields
Keep parent's priority in sync	Update fields
Obtain the difference between two dates	Update fields
Record an auditable timestamp of a Compliance Approval	Update fields	dateTimeToString()
Set a date field to a future date	Update fields	dateTimeToString()
Set a date field to the current date	Update fields	dateTimeToString()
Set Fix version to Affects version when resolving an issue	Update fields
Set the Assignee based on the Issue type	Update fields	getMatchingValue()
Set the due date based on the priority	Update fields	getMatchingValue()
Set the priority to Highest if the 'Infrastructure' component is selected	Update fields
Using app user to update non-editable fields	Update fields