How to create a project template in Jira [2025 guide]

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Let’s face it: setting up Jira projects can feel painful.

New customer onboardings, release cycles, service rollouts… the structure is usually the same, yet we find ourselves rebuilding epics, tasks, and workflows from scratch.

Wouldn’t it be better if you could just create a Jira project template and get rolling?

🪄 Good news: you can.

Jira Cloud offers some native options, and with a little help from Elements Copy & Sync, you can go way further, automating structure, cloning content, and keeping everything consistent across projects.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• The native Jira approach (good for governance, but limited on content).

• Two Elements Copy & Sync methods to create true reusable project templates.

 

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What do we mean by “Jira project templates”?

Before diving in, let’s clarify. In Jira, a project template usually covers two layers:

• Configuration templates: issue types, workflows, screens, fields, permissions: basically the rules that govern how the project behaves.

• Content templates: the actual backlog: epics, tasks, sub-tasks, attachments, links, that you want every new project to start with.

Native Jira mainly handles configuration. If you also want the content layer (a pre-populated backlog, hierarchy, attachments, links, etc.), you’ll need to add an app like Elements Copy & Sync.

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Option 1: Native Jira project templates

In Jira Cloud, there’s no native “copy project with issues” button.

What you can do instead is build standardized configuration templates and reuse them when creating new projects.

Step 1: Define your archetypes

List the recurring project types in your org:

• “Customer Implementation”

• “Quarterly Release”

• “Marketing Campaign”

For each, note the required issue types, workflows, screens, fields, and permissions.

Step 2: Build your configuration assets

From Jira Settings → Issues, create reusable:

• Issue type configurations (defining the hierarchy).

• Workflow configurations (mapping workflows to issue types).

• Screen settings & field configurations (surfacing the right fields).

• Permission & notification settings (governance, roles, alerts).

You may also want to add custom fields that capture information unique to your projects, like customer-specific data or regulatory notes. Taking the time to set up these in advance saves effort later.

Step 3: Create a project and apply configuration

When you’re creating a new project, pick the starter template closest to your needs (Kanban, Service Desk, etc.). Then go into Project settings and swap in your custom configuration. You can also configure dashboards or workflows at this stage. Don’t forget to add issue filters and boards as needed.

Read documentation on shared configuration in Jira

Step 4: Fill in the backlog (manually)

Here’s the catch: Jira won’t copy over issues, epics, or links. You’ll need a checklist (Confluence works well) to manually add the standard issue backlog and make sure dependencies are respected.

Pros
✔ 100% native, no marketplace apps.
✔ Great for governance.

Cons
✘ No duplication of issues, hierarchy, or links in Cloud.
✘ Manual backlog creation = error-prone.

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Option 2: Supercharged project templates with Elements Copy & Sync

If you want more than just configuration and you want a new project that starts with a full backlog and structure ready to go: this is where Elements Copy & Sync shines.

With Elements Copy & Sync you can:

• Duplicate an entire hierarchy (epics → stories → sub-tasks).

• Copy attachments and comments.

• Map and adjust fields (assignee, due dates, components, etc.).

• Automate the process with Jira Automation or workflow triggers.

And the best part? You’ve got two flexible ways to do it.

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Method 1: Automatic project initialization

🎥 Watch the demo video

Here’s how it works:

👉 Build a template project
Create a dedicated project with the ideal structure:

• Epics for each phase (Plan, Configure, Test, Go-Live).

• Standard tasks and sub-tasks under each epic.

• Attachments, comments

👉 Set up an Elements Copy & Sync recipe

• Enable Copy full hierarchy so the whole tree comes along.

• Choose what else to copy (comments, attachments).

• Map fields (e.g., replace assignees, set relative due dates, include custom attributes).

👉 Trigger the copy
Use Automation to trigger the recipe every time a new project is created to populate it with the full template content.

💡Why use this?
This is your “cookie cutter” approach. Every new project comes out the same way: perfect when you want absolute consistency.

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Method 2: JQL-based top-level cloning (the “modular” way)

🎥 Watch the demo video

This approach gives you more flexibility:

👉 Filter by top-level issues (usually epics)
Use JQL to select just the epics in your template project.

👉 Run the Elements Copy & Sync recipe from the search filtered view
With Copy full hierarchy enabled, each epic brings along its full set of child issues, links, and attachments.

👉 Choose your destination project
Send the duplicated structure to the new project of your choice.

💡Why use this?
This method is great if your template project evolves over time, or if you want teams to pick and choose which “modules” (epics) they actually need. Flexible, scalable, and clean.

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Real-world example: Customer implementation project

Let’s say you’re rolling out customer implementations:

• Template project “TPL-Implementation” has epics for Plan, Configure, Test, Train, Go-Live. Each epic contains standard tasks and sub-tasks, dependencies, and reference docs.

• Recipe copies full hierarchy, includes attachments/comments, and maps assignee to “Project Lead.” Due dates are relative to project start.

• Trigger from either:

  • Method 1: Initialize the full template project with Automation.

  • Method 2: Run JQL to select only the epics you need (e.g., skip “Train” if not required).

Result: In minutes, you’ve got a new project fully loaded with the structure, backlog, and files—ready to execute. Each issue is replicated with its hierarchy intact, and you can still adjust details or modify additional project settings if needed.

Read more on how to create a Jira project template with Elements Copy & Sync

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Best practices for Jira project templates

• Use clear naming: Prefix template projects with TPL- so they’re easy to spot.

• Governance in configuration: Keep workflows/permissions in shared configuration; let Elements Copy & Sync handle content.

• Version your templates: Track updates with a Template Version custom field.

• Automate dates: Use relative dates in field mapping.

• Review often: If teams keep creating and adding the same ad-hoc tasks, fold them back into the template.

• Pilot changes: Test recipes in a sandbox before rolling them out widely.

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FAQ

❓Can Jira Cloud duplicate a full project with issues natively?
Nope. You can reuse configuration for governance, but replicating issue trees requires an app like Elements Copy & Sync.

❓Will links, attachments, and comments copy too?
Yes, as long as you enable them in the recipe.

❓What’s the difference between the two Copy & Sync methods?

• Method 1 (full project initialization): automatically replicates the entire template project with Automation.

• Method 2 (JQL top-level duplication): lets you select which epics (and their children) to copy, for more flexibility.

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Wrapping it up

If you only need governance, Jira’s native configuration is enough. But if you want to create projects that launch with a complete backlog, hierarchy, and relationships intact, Elements Copy & Sync gives you two solid ways to do it:

• Method 1: full template project initialization for consistency.

• Method 2: JQL-driven duplication for flexibility.

Either way, you’ll save effort, reduce setup errors, and keep your teams starting strong.

And remember, adding the right app on top of Jira makes a huge difference.

With Elements Copy & Sync, a Jira project template becomes more than just configuration: it’s a ready-to-go workspace where you can add tasks, dependencies, or even custom screen elements with ease. For example, an onboarding project can start with every issue already structured, linked, and assigned, so your team jumps straight into delivery instead of setup.

Don't hesitate to try the app for free on the Atlassian marketplace!