Inexplicable Start and End Date Changes in BigPicture for Jira During Out-of-Office Times
Inexplicable Changes in Start Date and End Date at Out-of-Office Times in BigPicture
Key details
Product: BigPicture for Jira Data Center
Symptoms: Start Date and End Date on Jira issues appear to change late at night or on weekends; Jira history may attribute changes to a user who was not online, an automation/add-on user, or a technical user.
Root causes: Synchronization events, auto-scheduling, dependency recalculations, Jira Automation or ScriptRunner rules, external REST API integrations, and background jobs using the Technical User.
General
Unexpected date changes are almost always the result of automated processes running in the background rather than manual edits. Understanding who the “author” of a change is in Jira history requires identifying what triggered the update (manual, automation, add-on, or BigPicture background sync).
AI Insights
Check the scheduling mode of affected tasks. Auto top-down or Auto bottom-up modes can recalculate dates when structure or dependencies change.
Correlate the timestamp in Jira history with automation schedules or maintenance windows to pinpoint non-interactive triggers.
If a real user appears as author during off-hours, verify whether that account is configured as the BigPicture Technical User.
Description
Draft: Why Do Start/End Date Changes Appear at Unusual Times in BigPicture for Jira Data Center?
Overview:
Customers sometimes report that Start Date and End Date fields on Jira issues are being modified at unusual hours (e.g., late at night or on weekends) by a specific user who was not online at that time. This article explains the common causes, how to investigate, and the role of the Technical User setting in BigPicture.
1. Background
BigPicture integrates deeply with Jira to manage project schedules, dependencies, and task dates. When dates change unexpectedly — especially outside regular office hours — it can appear as if a user is making changes when they are not. These changes are typically the result of automated processes, not direct user actions.
1. Key Points
a. Common Causes of Unexpected Date Changes
Synchronization with Jira – If Start/End Date fields are mapped to Jira fields, any updates made directly in Jira (manually, via automation, or through another integration) will be reflected in BigPicture.
Auto-scheduling rules – If the scheduling mode (formerly period mode) is set to an automatic option (e.g., Auto top-down or Auto bottom-up), changes in task structure, dependencies, or parent/child relationships may cause date recalculations.
Dependency recalculations – Modifications to linked tasks (including status updates or duration changes) can trigger cascading date updates across related issues.
External integrations or automation tools – Scripts, marketplace apps (e.g., ScriptRunner), Jira Automation rules, or background processes may update issue fields during non-working hours.
b. Who Appears in Jira History?
Scenario | Jira history shows |
|---|---|
User manually changes structure → BigPicture recalculates | That same user |
Jira Automation updates date | Automation user |
ScriptRunner updates date | Add-on user |
REST API integration updates date | Integration user |
Scheduled/background process updates date | System/add-on user |
Key takeaway: If User X changes dependencies or structure and this causes date recalculations, the updates will appear in Jira history as performed by User X. If the change appears under a technical, automation, or add-on user, then it was not triggered by a manual BigPicture action.
c. The Technical User Setting in BigPicture
BigPicture has a Technical User setting found under:
Global Configuration → Advanced → Technical Info
This user is used when BigPicture cannot identify the "real" user responsible for an action. Specific use cases include:
Background synchronizations between BigPicture and Jira (periodic sync jobs that update task data such as dates, structure, status).
Operations requiring higher permissions to maintain data integrity (e.g., when BigPicture needs to update an issue field but the triggering user lacks sufficient Jira permissions).
"No clear real user" scenarios – scheduled or maintenance jobs, recalculation jobs, or system-level actions triggered by configuration changes (e.g., changing mappings, scheduling mode, or global settings).
Important: If the Technical User was previously set to a real user account, that user will appear in Jira history for all background operations — making it look like they made changes at odd times. Always verify what account is configured as the Technical User and prefer a dedicated service account.
d. Communication Best Practices
Always check Jira issue history to identify which user or automation updated the fields and at what time.
Review Jira automation rules, scheduling mode configuration in the affected Box, and any third-party integrations.
Verify the Technical User setting in BigPicture Global Configuration.
If the Technical User was set to a real person's account, recommend changing it to a dedicated service/technical account to avoid confusion.
Troubleshooting and Verification Steps
Open the affected Jira issue and inspect the History tab to capture the exact field changes and the author shown.
Check BigPicture task scheduling mode and dependency configuration in the relevant Box (Gantt/Scope). If auto-scheduling is enabled, review recent structural or dependency changes.
Review Jira Automation rules, ScriptRunner jobs, and any external integrations that may update date fields on a schedule.
Verify Global Configuration → Advanced → Technical Info in BigPicture to confirm which account is set as Technical User.
Correlate the issue history timestamp with BigPicture synchronization events (e.g., entering a Box triggers full sync, plugin restart, cache clear, or manual resync).