How to add Epic link to Subtask with new Parent field (that replaces epic link on story issue type)?

[smitchell]

Atlassian recently (Dec. 2023) replaced the Epic Link field on all issue types with new field named Parent. Considering this change, how do I display the hyperlinked epic name to a story's subtask by default?

** Note: I am in a team-managed project **

[Yavuz Selim Parmaksiz]

Hi all,

"Epic" can be directly selected in the "Parent" field, although Atlassian's documentation/training states it in the way @Fernando Eugênio da Silva quoted below.

You cannot associate an Epic 'Parent' with a Subtask because the hierarchy levels between them do not allow it. You will only be able to associate a Story, Task or any issuetype created in the standard hierarchy as the Parent of a Subtask.

Alternatively a new Epic Parent can be selected by "Change Parent" or "Move" to any subtask.
Thus, you can directly link a Subtask to an Epic. But I don't know if this is a bug or feature.

Kind regards, Yavuz

[Fernando Eugênio da Silva]

@smitchell , Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

This change also aims to standardize the Jira hierarchies association model into a single field as a solution. It still does not go beyond the configured hierarchy.

By default, the Jira hierarchy is:

• Epic
  • Story/Task
    • Subtask 

You cannot associate an Epic 'Parent' with a Subtask because the hierarchy levels between them do not allow it. You will only be able to associate a Story, Task or any issuetype created in the standard hierarchy as the Parent of a Subtask.

If you want to view the 'Epic Key' within Subtask you will need to use some automation features and custom fields that will copy values, but this will only give you visibility, it will not assume hierarchies within Jira.

Hope this helps you.

[smitchell]

Thank you for clarifying @Fernando Eugênio da Silva. How do I use automation features to display the parent story's epic on the story's subtask?

[Fernando Eugênio da Silva]

@smitchell 

First of all: Create a custom field (short text) to consume your epic key.

After created this field, go to your project and create an automation rule like this one:

• Trigger: Issue Created
• Condition > Issue type > Equals > Sub-task
• Action > Create a variable > Give a name for your variable and in smart value box add this: {{issue.parent.key}}

We are recording the parent key of the subtask, currently this is the task/story still. We gonna to use this variable in the next step.

• Add a new action called: lookupIssues > for JQL space insert this value: key = {{your-variable}}

We are entering inside Story/Task (parent of subtask) to be able to get your parent (epic) details.

• After this, you just need to use the variable: {{lookupIssues.parent}} to see your Epic key inside some field of your subtask.

This variable is the parent key from the Epic of the Task/Story also parent from your Subtask.

Use this smartvalue to fill some custom field or add a comment in your subtask. Here a print of my automation rule:

Hope this helps you :)

[smitchell]

Thank you @Fernando Eugênio da Silva your solution worked in adding the epic key as as comment (super helpful)! Now, how do I add this info to the custom field "Parent Epic Name" I created to display on subtasks (screenshot B), as per your 1st instruction (screenshot A)?

Screenshot A:

Screenshot B:

[smitchell]

I went ahead and add this extra step to my newly automation rule from above, as seen in screenshot 1:

I can now see epic key in the Parent Epic Name field on my subtask but only the key (screenshot 2). Is there a way I can also show the epic name hyperlinked?

screenshot 2:

[Fernando Eugênio da Silva]

@smitchell 

If you want to show the hiperlink instead only the key, you can use this smartvalue: {{lookupIssues.parent.url}}

If you want to show the name of the epic instead only the key, you can use this smartvalue: {{lookupIssues.parent.summary}}

[ivan.naumov]

@Fernando Eugênio da Silva 

Dear Fernando,

thanks for your instructions. I've realized that for sub-tasks, but I have 2 questions:

1. How to do it for Stories as well? I add this issue type for step 2, but when I create the Story, this filed (with link to Parent) is still empty.

2. How to apply it for stories/sub-tasks that already have been created before the automation rule to fill in this empty fields?