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Bulk move subtasks to new type WITHOUT changing the parent issues?

Maya_Chase_lk4iik

We have a jira instance where they kind of went nuts in the past creating subtask types. For simplicity, I want to move a lot of those back to just "sub-task" and delete the extraneous types. However, when using bulk move, you have to choose a new subtask type for each individual issue; if you don't, and just check the box to use this same project and issue type pair for everything, then it also changes the parents of all the subtasks to the parent of your initial issue, which is ludicrous behavior. Is there a plugin or anything that allows you to change the subtask type en masse without changing the parents?

Accepted answers

All comments

Nic Brough -Adaptavist-

Yes, this is correct, you're using bulk edit to change the parent.

If you just want to change the issue type of a sub-task, filter for only sub-task types and select to move the issue type only. When I try this on the Jira I'm looking at, only the issue type changes - I can't see a way to make the parent change without choosing "change parent"

lujmo

I have the ssame issue as Maya. I create a JQL that returns only sub-tasks. I then bulk edit and select Move Issue operation. Then in next screen - Step 3 of 4. Select Projects and Issue Types - for each and every item in the query I am asked to select

Move Project A > Project Z

Move task type A > Task type B

Select Parent Issue: Parent issue 1

there is a checkbox saying "Use the above project and issue type pair for all other combinations." but if you select that the confirmation screen says:

Issue Targets

Target Project: Project Z ( correct)

Target issue Type: Task Type B (correct)

Target Parent Issue: Parent issue 1 - NOT CORRECT ! .. I want each moved task to retain its original Parent and not have them ALL changed to Parent issue 1

I am on jira server v8.0.2

Nic Brough -Adaptavist-

A sub-task is part of its parent issue, not an independent entity. They are part of a project because they belong to a parent issue in that project.

You can move them to a different issue if you want, and that issue might well be in another project.

But you can't have a sub-task in a different project to its parent, that's logically nonsense.

If you want to just change the issue type, then do NOT select a new project for the issues, keep them in A.

akshay.kg

Lets say we have 2 sub task issue types (sub-task and dev sub-task), If I want to change all the dev sub-task issue type to sub-task in same project without loosing the parent link is that possible?

I tried move with source and destination same didn't work ask for new parent

I tried edit also it won't even list the other issue types in same level.

Any thoughts?

Best,

Akshay

Julio Kawai

I was struggling to make it work on Jira cloud but I've found that it is possible to bulk edit sub-tasks and change their types.

The option is not always visible but you can find it collapsed at the bottom of the page.

There was a couple of reasons why the field or some sub-task types were not available.

First I've found some sub-tasks with no parent.

A second reason was mixed projects with different sets of sub-tasks types. I set the same issue type scheme for different projects.

I hope it help someone as I've spent some time to find the option and make it work.

Sirko Manthey

A way to deal with this on jira server (not sure about cloud) is to make use of the issue type schemes.

make sure you have a replacement sub-task issue type with same fields in a scheme which also holds the obsolete sub-task issue type
remove the obsolete sub-task issue type from the scheme and press "save"
now the system allows you to migrate all of the affected (sub-task) issues in bulk, retaining fields, parent issues, etc. without confirming each parent issue
note that the migration causes load and potentially a time-out on the migration screen so best prepare a filter to monitor the migration progress since the process continues in the background

Cheers

Lorraine Gorman

Unfortunately on JIRA cloud, there is a 1000 issue limit for moving the Sub-task issue type using a scheme change. This is similar to the 1000 filter results limitation and 1000 bulk update limitation imposed on JIRA cloud instances. The user is directed to "move" issues parent by parent if total issue count is above 1000.

Michael Marriott_2a81f1

problem with this is that you can't apply JQL filters to get a subset of issue types that you want to move.

For example if you have a list of ;

issuetype = Sub-task and summary ~ "Testing Execution" and statusCategory != Done

and you want to move only these issue to a new issuetype of "Test Execution (Sub Task)"

You can't use the "issue type schemes" technique.

Why does Atlassian have;

Screenshot 2025-06-12 at 2.23.31 pm.png

Why is there no "Current Parent" option!! Logical isn't it?

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