Auto actions

You can add automatic actions to your release process that trigger common tasks, such as CI run jobs, email notifications, and the generation of document reports.

Prerequisites

Ensure that the prerequisites below are met for the following auto action types:

  • Run job: Ensure that the necessary ALM Octane integrations are configured for your workspace. For details, see Integrations overview.
  • Update entities and Add comment: Ensure that the API key for auto actions is defined in the release process details. For details, see Common auto actions.

  • Generate document report:

    • Ensure that API key for auto actions is defined, and that the API key has the Generate Document Report permission from the General System Actions category. If necessary, contact your admin to grant this permission to the API key user. For details, see Prerequisites.

    • Make sure that you have defined at least one document report template. For details, see Document reports.

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API keys

The API key for auto actions is a user account with the Release Manager role. It is used to perform system actions that are logged and that require authentication. Only users with the Workspace Admin or Release Manager roles can define the API key.

Some ALM Octane auto actions are performed on behalf of the API key. The API key for auto actions is defined for a release process.

For example, for a Update entities auto action, the updates are recorded in the item's history as the action performed by the API key for auto actions.

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Common auto actions

The following are some common auto actions, displayed in the user interface as ALM Octane Auto Actions.

Type Details
Add comment

Adds comments to the selected item types. This capability is available for:

  • Work items, such as features and backlog items.
  • Quality items, such as tests and test runs.

Tip: To narrow down the list of items to which a comment will be added, apply a filter. For example:

  • To only add comments to items associated with the release defined for the current release process, select Linked Processes > Releases. In the popup, select Release Process.Releases and click OK.
  • To send a notification when a process reaches a specific step, select This Release Process as the entity type. Users will receive these notifications when they follow this release process.
  • To only add comments to items that are associated with the milestone defined for the current release process, select Linked Processes > Milestones. In the popup, select Release Process.Milestones and click OK.

Note: Comments are added on behalf of the API key. Ensure the defined API key user has permissions to add comments to the selected item type.
Generate document report

Generates a document report based on the selected template.

The template drop down only includes templates that are shared with all users.

If the auto action is successful, the owner of the auto action is notified of the report generation in the My Work area.

Note the following:

  • The report is generated on behalf of the API key for auto actions.
  • Document report templates that include widgets are not supported.
  • The report is not available for users with data access control enabled. For details, see Data access control.
  • If the auto action is deleted, the generated report is no longer available.
  • Admins can configure email templates to include a link to the auto-action-generated document report. For details, see Email templates.
  • You can also use variables to include a document report or a link to the report , in emails and notifications. For details, see Create process variables.
Send email

Sends an email with a specific message. Specify the To, CC, and BCC fields, the subject, content, and importance level.
Update entities

Performs an update to Work items, such as features and backlog items.

If the auto action succeeds, the new values replace the original ones, for the specified type.

Specify the following values:

  • Entity type: The type of items that the auto action should update.

    Tip: To set fields in the current release process, select This Release Process as the entity type. A common use case would be to define a dynamic variable and then use it to set the release version number field. This field would be visible to all users when viewing the release process grid.

  • Fields to update: The item fields that the auto action should update. You can also add tags and define values for the fields that you specify.

  • Filter: Define filters to narrow down the list of items to update. For details, see Filter options. The following table shows several examples:

    Desired action Steps
    Update items associated with the release defined for the current release process

    Select Linked Processes > Releases. In the popup, select Release Process.Releases and click OK.
    Update items associated with the milestone defined for the current release process

    Select Linked Processes > Milestones. In the popup, select Release Process.Milestones and click OK.

Note: By default, the maximum number of ALM Octane items that can be updated by an auto action is set to 500. Your admin can change this number by modifying the RC_AA_UPDATE_ENTITIES_MAX_SIZE parameter. For details, see Configuration parameters.

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CI server auto actions

Release processes let you perform automated actions on CI servers. This section describes how to create Run job auto actions for common CI servers.

For a CI action, you define the following:

Field Details
CI server

The CI server whose job the auto action should run.

The supported servers are: Jenkins, Bamboo, Azure DevOps, PulseUno, GitLab, and TeamCity.

Note:

  • Jenkins: You must upgrade your Jenkins plugin to version 7.4 or later.
  • GitLab: You must upgrade your GitLab service to version 1.1.128 or later.
  • TeamCity: You must upgrade your TeamCity plugin to version 1.4.4 or later.
CI job

A job that the auto action should execute, depending on the selected CI server.
Execution parameters

Job execution parameters that ALM Octane should pass to the CI server.

Note:

  • The parameters are defined with the default values, or the latest values set on the CI server. To change a value, clear the default value and enter a new one.

  • You can define variables and use them as parameters. For details, see Auto actions.

  • The newly defined values are fixed for a job that the given auto action should run. They are not affected when values on the respective CI server change.
  • If the execution parameters are not defined in the auto action details, the CI job runs with the default parameters set on the CI server. You can check the parameter details in the execution message.
  • For multi-branch Jenkins jobs, ALM Octane provides parameters for branches defined as default on the CI server. To use parameters for a specific branch, list this branch as default on the CI server.
Branch name

The branch on which the job should run.

Note:

  • PulseUno jobs: If the PulseUno parameters, such as a branch name and a changeset ID, are not defined, the auto action triggers a job on the latest changeset ID and the default branch.

  • GitLab jobs: If the branch name is not defined, the auto action runs a job on the default branch.

    You can also use the Branch name field to define CI tags. Unlike with branches, where jobs run on the latest version of code, tags help you run jobs on specific versions, regardless of the commit time.

    If a GitLab branch and tag have the same name, auto action fails.

  • Jenkins jobs: You must define a branch name for a Jenkins job. If the branch name is not defined, the auto action fails.

    If the branch name is not defined, the auto action runs a job on the default branch.

    For multi-branch Jenkins jobs, if a branch name is not defined in ALM Octane, and default branches are not set on the CI server, the auto action fails.

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CD server auto actions

Release processes let you perform automated actions in on CD servers.

Technical preview: The Deployment Automation integration is provided as a technical preview. It may require a separate license in the future.

Type Details
Run application process

Deployment Automation: Auto actions can run application processes using snapshots or component versions.

Specify the CD server, the application and its environment, a process, a snapshot/component and their versions.

Tip: You can parameterize the Deployment Automation component version and snapshot, to run the application process for multiple component versions and snapshots. For example, you can run the auto action with Expression mode on, and again with it off, by using different input variables for the snapshot. For details, see Auto actions.

Note: Auto actions for Deployment Automation (DA) processes do not support the cancellation of application approvals within DA.

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REST call auto actions

You can trigger a REST call auto action as part of your release process flow. This capability enables you to integrate with a variety of systems and services, allowing you to extend the functionality of the release process and improve its efficiency.

  • Most request fields allow you to use parameterization. Click the {x} in the field to open a list of the available variables and fields. For details, see Auto actions.

  • Response handling supports JSONPath type expressions. Use the JSONPath query language to extract relevant data from the response. You can then use the results to set variable values in post processing.

To create a REST Call auto action:

  1. Select Generic Service > REST Call as the action type.

  2. Select an HTTP method: DELETE, GET, POST, or PUT.

  3. Optionally expand the Auth type field to use an API key with the REST call.

  4. Specify a URL.

  5. Add Body content.

  6. Optionally click + Add Header to add a header to the API call.

  7. Optionally create a named expression to parse the response.

  8. Optionally implement advanced output processing. For details, see Auto actions.

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