Coverer Setup and Management

Overview

This guide provides detailed instructions for setting up and managing coverers in Out of Office Assistant. Coverers are colleagues who automatically receive issue assignments when you’re away from work, ensuring continuous project progress and customer service.

Understanding Coverer Functionality

What Are Coverers?

Coverers are team members who:

• Automatically receive issues assigned to you during your absence

• Handle responsibilities on your behalf to maintain project continuity

• Can be individual users or groups of users for load distribution

• Must have appropriate permissions in target projects

Coverer Assignment Process

When your absence rule is active:

1. Issue Detection: New issues assigned to you are identified

2. Coverer Selection: System selects appropriate coverer based on configuration

3. Assignment Transfer: Issue automatically reassigned to selected coverer

4. Notification: Coverer receives standard Jira assignment notification

5. Comment Addition: Optional out-of-office message posted to issue

Types of Coverer Configurations

Single Coverer: One person handles all your issues during absence
Multiple Coverers: Round-robin distribution among several team members
Approval Coverer: Specialized for Jira Service Management approval workflows

Single Coverer Setup

When to Use Single Coverer

Best Scenarios:

• Short absences (1–3 days)

• Specialized roles requiring specific expertise

• Small teams with clear backup arrangements

• Projects with low issue volume

Considerations:

• Verify coverer availability during entire absence period

• Ensure coverer has capacity to handle additional workload

• Confirm coverer expertise matches your role responsibilities

Configuring Single Coverer

Step 1: Access Coverer Configuration

1. Open rule creation form (Apps → Out-Of-Office Assistant → Add rule for myself)

2. Navigate to “Coverer(s)” section in the form

3. Verify field label shows “Who will cover your tasks”

Step 2: Select Your Coverer

1. Click the “Coverer(s)” dropdown field

2. Type colleague’s name - dropdown filters dynamically as you type

3. Select user from filtered dropdown results

4. Verify selection appears in the field

Step 3: Validate Coverer Choice

• Permission Check: Ensure coverer can be assigned issues in your projects

• Availability Verification: Confirm coverer is available during your absence

• Capacity Assessment: Verify coverer can handle additional workload

• Expertise Match: Ensure coverer has skills for your issue types

Single Coverer Example Configuration:

Single Coverer Best Practices

Coverer Selection Criteria:

• Project Access: Must have assignment permissions in all relevant projects

• Role Compatibility: Should have similar skills and responsibilities

• Availability: Confirmed availability during entire absence period

• Communication: Established working relationship and communication channels

Pre-Absence Coordination:

• Brief Coverer: Provide context on current issues and priorities

• Share Resources: Provide access to relevant documentation and tools

• Set Expectations: Clarify decision-making authority and escalation paths

• Contact Information: Ensure coverer has emergency contact details

Multiple Coverer Setup

When to Use Multiple Coverers

Ideal Scenarios:

• Extended absences (1 week or longer)

• High-volume issue environments

• Load balancing across team members

• Redundancy for business continuity

Benefits:

• Load Distribution: Prevents overwhelming single person

• Expertise Diversification: Leverages different skills across team

• Availability Insurance: Backup if one coverer becomes unavailable

• Fair Workload: Distributes responsibility equitably

Round-Robin Functionality

How Round-Robin Works:

1. Issue Assignment: First issue goes to Coverer #1

2. Next Assignment: Second issue goes to Coverer #2

3. Rotation Continues: Third issue goes to Coverer #3 (or back to #1 if only 2 coverers)

4. Fair Distribution: System maintains balanced assignment counts

Round-Robin Algorithm:

• Sequential Assignment: Issues assigned in order of coverer list

• Automatic Cycling: System tracks assignment counts for balance

• No Manual Intervention: Distribution happens automatically

Configuring Multiple Coverers

Step 1: Add First Coverer

1. Click “Coverer(s)” dropdown

2. Type first colleague’s name

3. Select from dropdown when name appears

4. Verify first coverer appears in field

Step 2: Add Additional Coverers

1. Click dropdown again to add second coverer

2. Type second colleague’s name

3. Select from dropdown results

4. Repeat process for additional coverers (up to practical limit)

Step 3: Verify Coverer List

• Review all selected coverers in the field

• Confirm order (first selected = first in rotation)

• Check permissions for all coverers in target projects

• Validate availability for all coverers during absence

Multiple Coverer Example Configuration:

Multiple Coverer Best Practices

Team Selection Strategy:

• Skill Diversity: Include coverers with complementary expertise

• Availability Staggering: Choose team members with different schedules

• Experience Levels: Mix senior and junior team members for mentoring

• Project Knowledge: Select team members familiar with your projects

Load Balancing Considerations:

• Current Workload: Account for each coverer’s existing responsibilities

• Capacity Planning: Ensure combined team can handle your issue volume

• Peak Times: Consider business cycles and expected issue patterns

• Backup Plans: Identify additional coverers if primary team unavailable

Coordination Requirements:

• Team Meeting: Brief entire coverer team together

• Communication Channels: Establish team communication for coordination

• Escalation Process: Define process for complex issues requiring consultation

• Knowledge Sharing: Create shared resources accessible to all coverers

Approval Coverer Configuration

Understanding Approval Delegation

Purpose: Specialized coverer configuration for Jira Service Management (JSM) projects
Function: Delegates approval decisions to coverers during absence
Scope: Applies specifically to approval workflows in JSM projects

When Approval Delegation Is Needed:

• You have approval responsibilities in JSM projects

• Customer requests require approval during your absence

• Service level agreements must be maintained

• Approval bottlenecks must be prevented

JSM Approval Workflow Integration

Standard JSM Approval Process:

1. Customer Request: Submitted through service portal

2. Approval Required: Workflow pauses for approval decision

3. Approval Assignment: Normally assigned to you for decision

4. During Absence: Automatically delegated to approval coverer

5. Decision Making: Approval coverer makes approval decision

6. Workflow Continuation: Process continues based on approval outcome

Configuring Approval Coverers

Step 1: Access Approval Configuration

1. Navigate to “Coverer for Approvals” section in rule form

2. Identify JSM projects where you have approval responsibilities

3. Verify approval workflow requirements for each project

Step 2: Select Approval Coverer

1. Click “Select coverer” dropdown in Coverer for Approvals section

2. Type approval coverer’s name

3. Select from dropdown results

4. Verify coverer selection appears in field

Approval Coverer Example Configuration:

Restrictions

• JQL-based rules for approvers are not supported.

• Groups of approvers cannot be utilized.

• Only one approver coverer is permitted.

• Modifications to the workflows that manage the approval processes may prevent the app from delegating approvals for existing issues that entered the approval process prior to the most recent workflow change.

Approval Coverer Requirements

Permission Prerequisites:

• JSM Project Access: Must have agent or administrator access

• Approval Authority: Must have approval permissions in workflow

• Customer Interaction: Should have customer communication skills

• Business Knowledge: Must understand approval criteria and policies

Training Requirements:

• Approval Criteria: Understanding of when to approve/reject requests

• Escalation Procedures: Knowledge of when to escalate complex decisions

• Customer Communication: Skills for professional customer interaction

• SLA Awareness: Understanding of service level commitments

Coverer Management Status: ✅ COMPLETE
Next Step: https://resolution.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/OoO/pages/4848353590