Can't add existing backlog task to Epic

[Jochen Daum]

I have a list of backlog items and am getting more organised by placing them into Epics now. I'm unable to find a way to make existing Tasks a child issue of an Epic.

According to this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHb3O5mH-PU I should be able to click "Child Issue" and search for an existing backlog issue there. However I only ever get the "What needs to be done box", there doesn't seem to be the ability to search for existing issues: (Screenshot: https://ibb.co/0fLcjtq)

Also, I've searched the help docs, where the first result has the following preview: 

"

Add issues to epics on the roadmap - Atlassian Documentation

There are two ways to add issues to your epics: On the roadmap To add an issue, hover over an epic and click + Add a child issue. On the issue details Click on an epic to see more details: Epic color: View the color of an epic. Add a child issue: Use the quick-add button to add the first child issue to your epic. Add more issues: Once you have ...

• • Documentation

• Jira Software cloud

"

However when I click on the link, I end up on a page that talks about scheduling of Epics instead: https://support.atlassian.com/jira-software-cloud/docs/add-issues-to-epics-on-the-roadmap/

Thanks for any help.

[Trudy Claspill · Accepted solution]

Hello @Jochen Daum 

Welcome to the community.

Are you working with a Company Managed project or a Team Managed project? It will say at the bottom of the navigation pane on the left.

The video applies to only Team Managed projects.

If you are working with a Team Managed project, when you are trying to follow the video are you seeing the "Choose an existing issue" option and clicking on it?

If you are working with a Company Managed project then you need to go to the Tasks that you have created and edit the Epic Link field. There enter the issue key for the Epic to which you want to add the task.

[Jochen Daum]

Thanks this was very helpful.

Is there also an easy way to refresh the list of Epics in the lookup list? I have renamed them as part of my reorganization and its hard to find the right one. The lookup values are still as before the rename

[Mikael Sandberg]

Did you change the epic name or just the summary? What is shown in the drop-down is the epic name.

[Jochen Daum]

Hi @Mikael Sandberg - I changed the big text at the top, but now realised that there is a field called "Epic Name" that matches what is shown in the dropdown.

All sorted now.

[Mikael Sandberg]

Hi @Jochen Daum,

Welcome to Atlassian Community!

The video that you found only applies to team-managed projects, is that what you are using?

The other option to add existing issues to an epic is to go to the backlog and drag the issue over to the corresponding epic. 

[Scott Carter]

This makes no sense. Why would you not be able to search for an existing issue in a company managed project? Company managed is supposed to have more capabilities, not missing capabilities. It's unbelievable how out of sync Jira's products are.