As an Administrator, I want the ability to use automation rules to evaluate when a field is null (unset) and assign a default value.
Use Case
I am implementing a Priority model driven by Impact and Urgency custom fields. To support consistent SLA assignment, I need to ensure required inputs are always populated.
Example requirement:
- If Impact is null → set Impact = Normal
- If Urgency is null → set Urgency = Medium
This ensures downstream automations (e.g., Priority, SLA) evaluate consistently.
Problem
Currently, SWSD automation rules do not reliably support conditions that evaluate null or unset custom field values. This prevents administrators from enforcing default values through automation.
Impact
- SLA calculations may fail or behave inconsistently
- Priority matrices require defensive rule duplication
- Data quality depends on manual input or form enforcement
- Additional rules are needed to compensate for missing default behavior
Expected Behavior
Automation rules should allow:
- Explicit evaluation of null/unset values
- Conditional logic such as:
- IF field IS NULL → set value
- IF field IS NOT SET → assign default
Industry Comparison
Other ITSM platforms support this capability:
Zendesk: triggers can set custom field values based on defined conditions
ManageEngine: form rules/scripts can read and set field values programmatically
Proposed Enhancement
Add native support for:
- Null evaluation in automation conditions
- Default value assignment within automation logic
- Consistent handling of empty vs null values across all field types
