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Whether Jira supports updating existing issues using CSV import (Bulk).

Satheesh Kumar Srinivasan

Do i need confluence to support this action to be completed. Or else base Jira itself had the provision. Please advice

Can i update only specific fields alone rather updating once again all fields. So i can only specify required fields with separate comma to get this completed.

Accepted answers

Megan Moulton

Thank you for this forum thread! I found this and @Mykenna Cepek's answers and understand everyone's struggles. After trial and error, here are the exact steps I used to NOT recreate issues and instead update all issues when bulk updating fields via CSV

Create a custom search for the issues I want to update. In this case, I specified the project and that my field was not empty (project = TEST and source is not EMPTY)
Selected "show in detail view" to specify the fields I want to be updated
This will pull up all the tickets that match your query and let you select which fields you want (otherwise, you'll get everything). Select columns on the far left side.
Uncheck ALL columns selected and instead select Summary, Key, and the fields you want to update. In my case, I am updating the custom field "source". You must have the summary and key field to UPDATE your tickets. Without both, you will create new tickets.
Select done and review your new query to ensure everything is correct
Select Export at the bottom and choose CSV-Export
Open the excel file and make the corrections you want. Do not change the summary or key field. In my case, I updated all data in the "source" column and hit save
Go to System > External System Import
Select CSV
Choose your file and select next
Select your project and then next
On the next page, you choose what data from your CSV you want to import.
1. For "Key" choose the Jira field "Issue Key" Check the box
2. For "Summary" select the Jira field "Summary" and check the box.
3. Then choose the fields you want to update, which ones will be imported. I am importing "source" so I make the field and select the check box. This is the only field that will have UPDATED data. If you skip the issue key, it will make new tickets.
4. For any other categories you may have, and don't want to import, make the field "Don't map this field"
Confirm everything is correct and select "begin import"
Now all your issues will be updated.

Hope this helps!

All comments

Maksim Smetannikov

Yes, you can update any fields in existing issues using system import CSV.

To update fields in existing issues, the required fields are issueKey and Summary + the fields you want to update.
You will need to do CSV export first and then import.

System import is located here: System/External system Import/CSV.

Be careful - create a backup before this operation.

Thank!

Petter Gonçalves

Hello Satheesh,

Can you confirm to us if you are using JIRA Server or Cloud?

JIRA itself already have the functionality to import/export issues using CSV format and properly update existing issues on your instance. Here are the steps to update issues on Cloud and some server versions:

1 - On JIRA application, click to search for issues to display the issue navigator page

2 - Define which issues you would like to update in the filter > Click to Export it:

Screen Shot 2019-02-14 at 18.10.44.png

P.S: You can define in the List view the columns (fields) you would like to export if you use the option Export Excel CSV (Current fields)

3 - Once you export your CSV file, use a spreadsheet software (Excel, LibreOffice, etc) to update the relevant columns (fields) in your issues. Keep the issue-key unchanged in order to map the changes to the existing issues in your JIRA when you import it

4 - After saving the CSV file changes, navigate to your JIRA Settings > System > External System Import and import your issues back to JIRA, mapping the issue-key and all the changed fields

For more information about CSV imports, check the documentation below:

Importing data from CSV

Let me know if this information helps.

Cesar mazzo balsan, Paulo [BR NON-J&J]

Hello, I'm trying to do so, but with no success. First I cannot find the issuekey field to map, it is simply not there, so I'm using IssueID, then I validate the field and it passes the validation, but when I actually load the updates, they take no effect over the issue. Can you help me?

george Joseph_rxbihh

I believe you might be using the Issue -->Import Issues From CSV option to do the mapping. The Issuekey field is not available through this option. You will have to go through the JIRA Settings > System > External System Import option. You need to be a JIRA admin (Not just the JIRA Project admin) to use this option. You can check with your enterprise JIRA admin.

p0cket0m

It does not work at all. If you map the issue key, it tells you all existing issues have been skipped.

If you unmap the issue key, it tells you it won't start import because there are sub-tasks in the CSV???????????????????????

Jean-Christophe Chaulieu

It doesn't function:

Issue in Jira-cloud

natalia.lezhai

It does not work, issues are not getting updated, but new issues are getting created instead. I mapped issue key, summary, status, none of that works.

Miguel Koropecky

Will this also work for google sheets?

Jean-Christophe Chaulieu

Hello Petter

Your solution doesn't match. No overwriting existing issues, but incremantally added Issues.

Martin Kunst

Same issue here. despite correct mapping, I'm trying to update! the existing issues, but instead of update, a new issue is created.

Martin Kunst

Same issue here. despite correct mapping, I'm trying to update! the existing issues, but instead of update, a new issue is created.

Mykenna Cepek

That linked ticket is not related to what is being discussed here.

Mykenna Cepek

More information specifically about updating existing tickets via admin import is available here:

I just recently had to do this in Jira Cloud. I'm including a screenshot below showing the trivial field mapping I used, allowing me to update one field on a subtask.

Relevant tickets in the JAC would include:

Extend JIM to UPDATE already imported issues (closed Aug 2018 as "obsolete")
Allow to update existing issues in the non-admin CSV importer (closed Apr 2021 as "won't fix")
update an existing subtask through CSV import (open since Sept 2016)

Bonus tip: if you have any multi-line text fields, and your CSV isn't importing them correctly into Excel, don't open Excel and then import the CSV. Instead double-click on the CSV file in File Explorer (or in the Finder on MacOS). Only then (apparently) will the multi-line fields be imported correctly.

Screen Shot 2021-12-30 at 2.23.37 PM.png

Megan Moulton

Create a custom search for the issues I want to update. In this case, I specified the project and that my field was not empty (project = TEST and source is not EMPTY)
Selected "show in detail view" to specify the fields I want to be updated
This will pull up all the tickets that match your query and let you select which fields you want (otherwise, you'll get everything). Select columns on the far left side.
Uncheck ALL columns selected and instead select Summary, Key, and the fields you want to update. In my case, I am updating the custom field "source". You must have the summary and key field to UPDATE your tickets. Without both, you will create new tickets.
Select done and review your new query to ensure everything is correct
Select Export at the bottom and choose CSV-Export
Open the excel file and make the corrections you want. Do not change the summary or key field. In my case, I updated all data in the "source" column and hit save
Go to System > External System Import
Select CSV
Choose your file and select next
Select your project and then next
On the next page, you choose what data from your CSV you want to import.
1. For "Key" choose the Jira field "Issue Key" Check the box
2. For "Summary" select the Jira field "Summary" and check the box.
3. Then choose the fields you want to update, which ones will be imported. I am importing "source" so I make the field and select the check box. This is the only field that will have UPDATED data. If you skip the issue key, it will make new tickets.
4. For any other categories you may have, and don't want to import, make the field "Don't map this field"
Confirm everything is correct and select "begin import"
Now all your issues will be updated.

Hope this helps!

Mike McNamara

Thanks, these instructions do work successfully. I did find that with my server instance a few minor differences apply to the exact wording, but the process is the same (i.e. did not need to go to detail view, and column selection is via a drop down on the right).

Export a CSV that includes the key and summary plus fields to change, update the CSV and import it back in via External System Import > CSV. Works in multiple tests.

Thanks Megan!

Marc Isikoff_o8qjap

Again, these "solutions" are are typically out of reach.

Either they are for Jira Cloud or they need you to complete own and have unlimited rights for admin.

Most Fortune 50 companies do not work this way:

1. Jira Cloud is contrary to most cloud strategies as one or more cloud providers are picked, and Jira Server is more or less lifted and shifted to the company's choice of cloud providers - employees are confused with their Jira in "the cloud" but not being "Jira cloud" - and Atlassian needs to start understanding their offerings are not core business to Fortune 50 and therefore are not going to get them on Jira Cloud but rather Server in a cloud.

2. Also most Fortune 50 companies do not give Jira project workers like a Product Owner or Scrum Master the complete keys to administer their Jira project hence we cannot do external system CSV import without going thru a lengthy permission process.

So in short, while "a solution" may exist for this problem, it is not tenable for many of us who can only do Bulk Update, or Import Issues from CSV.

Lisa Woolcott

Just what I needed - thank you! Worked liked a charm

Mykenna Cepek

The large company I'm currently working for has a small team of Jira Admins who help with such requests. As a ScrumMaster with only Project and Board Admin privs, I partner with them when I need to access privs beyond what I can do.

Anil Kathane_46xzcy

Thanks Petter Gonçalves; the solution worked quite well for me. Thanks for providing the solution, much appreciate it.

Those who are facing any difficulties or those who have new issues getting created; please ensure you export the JIRA KEY when exporting; and map that field correctly to JIRA KEY when importing. This way JIRA would be able to map the issues and will update the records for the fields that you select while uploading.

Note: I am using JIRA cloud.

Anil Kathane_46xzcy

Totally Agree with Marc Isikoff for the issue of the need of admin access. It should be possible for regular users to do this upload. The solution, while it works well for me, I agree that it doesn't really help much.

Finn Rakow

THIS works, even for multiple projects. Thanks!

Erik Aaron Hansen_52wp1y

The Jira field "Issue Key" is not present in the drop down list. $:\$ I'm not admin but I'm admin in the project I'm trying to do it for.

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