Why is the Issue Id only mappable in 'External System Import', but not 'Import Issues from CSV'?

Erin Quick-Laughlin

We've been enabling our project teams to import new issues with a multiple tier of parent relationships (example: new Stories, each with new Subtasks) for a few years now, like this. 

Recently, we've discovered the Issue Id field can only be mapped to, in the Jira Admin's screen of 'External System Import'.  It's not currently available to non-Jira Admin, from 'Import Issues from CSV' found in the Issues screen under the elipsis.

From one of our employees: "The import tool should allow users to import and set the “Issue ID” field, allowing them to import User Stories and Subtasks in the same import file. This behavior has been consistent for years and is well listed on Jira communities as being a needed workflow for many"

Is anyone else experiencing this?  Wondering if there's a plan to restore access to that Issue Id field for the non-Jira Admin...

Aswin Raj D

Dear @Erin Quick-Laughlin ,

• External System Import (Admins Only): This feature is more robust and is designed for migrations and integrations with other systems. It allows for more complex operations, including the mapping of unique identifiers like the Issue Id. This is crucial when migrating issues from one system to another, as it ensures data consistency and integrity, especially for links between issues or historical tracking.

• Import Issues from CSV (All Users): This feature is intended for more straightforward use cases, such as bulk creation or updating of issues. It's designed to be safer and simpler for general users, who might not have the depth of understanding required to handle system identifiers like Issue Ids. Allowing non-admin users to map and modify Issue Ids could lead to data integrity issues, such as accidental duplication or overwriting of issues.

The reason behind not allowing the mapping of Issue Ids in the standard CSV import tool could be related to maintaining data integrity and preventing conflicts or errors that could arise from incorrectly mapped Issue Ids. Issue Ids are unique identifiers in Jira and are crucial for tracking and linking issues within the system. Allowing non-admin users to import and set Issue Ids could potentially lead to issues like duplicate Ids or broken links, which can disrupt the workflow and data consistency in Jira.

If this feature is critical for your workflows, consider providing feedback to Atlassian. They might consider it for future updates if enough users request it.

Atlassian Support