Welcome back to "Code Against the Clock!" blog series where I’ll reveal how I turned my most boring tasks into streamlined, time-saving machines. I’ll share the exact steps I took to automate these chores and the cool tricks I discovered along the way. Ready to see how you can save time and make life a bit more exciting? Let’s dive in and get your tasks on autopilot!

The backstory

Ever felt like managing sub-tasks in Jira was like trying to juggle flaming torches? 😅 In our bustling startup, we work in two-week sprints, and every Jira task often spawns a bunch of smaller sub-tasks. Keeping track of these can get pretty monotonous, and it’s not exactly the highlight of our day.

The Sprint Close Dilemma

Here’s the kicker: At the end of each sprint, when our Project Manager (PM) tries to mark the sprint as complete, Jira throws a fit if there are unfinished sub-tasks. It demands that every single sub-task be closed before the sprint can be completed. Imagine the PM’s frustration—either they have to manually close each sub-task or hunt down developers to update their statuses. This can drag on forever and pull them away from more strategic work.

My Automation Adventure

Determined to rescue our PM from this repetitive grind, I rolled up my sleeves and dove into scripting. Here’s how I transformed a mundane task into a streamlined solution:

1. Crafting a Command Line Superhero: I designed a command line tool that’s like a magic wand for our PM. It simplifies the process of closing sub-tasks and lets the PM select the sprint they’re working with.
2. Sub-Task Closure on Autopilot: This tool works like a charm—it automatically identifies completed tasks and updates all their sub-tasks to "completed" status. No more manual updates or endless status-chasing!
3. Boosting Efficiency: Thanks to this automation, our PM now breezes through sprint closures. The tool does the heavy lifting quickly and accurately, freeing up time and reducing errors.

The Payoff

The impact has been fantastic! Our PM's workload has lightened, task management is spot-on, and they can now focus on more strategic, high-impact work. It’s like turning a mountain of paperwork into a molehill!

Curious About the Code?

If you’re itching to see the source code or have any questions, feel free to reach out me

Your Turn!

Have you ever automated a task to save time? I’d love to hear your stories! What tasks do you dream of automating? Let’s chat in the comments!

Thanks for joining me on this automation journey. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for more tips and tech insights. Happy coding!

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