Help with JQL to Dynamically Show Epics and Their Children

Question

Hi Atlassian Community  We're using Jira Advanced Roadmaps with a customised issue hierarchy that looks like this:

Strategic Pillar > Theme > Initiative > Epic > (Story, Task, Bug, etc.)

Each Product Manager is responsible for multiple Epics, which may span several Initiatives, Themes, and even different Strategic Pillars.

Our goal is to build a dynamic board or filter using JQL that shows:

All Epics for a given Product Manager (open to labels or custom fields - but not first prize)

All child issues (e.g., Stories, Tasks, Bugs) of those Epics

Ideally, without needing to update the filter manually every time a new Epic is added

We’re working with both company-managed projects.

Has anyone solved this sort of problem cleanly, ideally without needing plugins like ScriptRunner? Or if you have done it with ScriptRunner or Automation, I’d love to see your setup too.

Thanks in advance for any help or pointers!

Cristiano Alves -Appfire- · Answer

Hello @Shena Goorawa , Cristiano from Appfire Team, Unfortunately native JQL does not support recursive queries, The app our team works, JQL Search Extension for Jira, with the following query, you should be able to achieve your needs: issue in childrenOfIssuesInQueryRecursive("Project='X' and issuetype = Epic AND ") OR ("Project='X' and issuetype = Epic AND ") You're able to save it as a filter and use outside JQLSE. If you need any further assistance with this query, feel free to contact our support team, Regards,

Karan Sachdev · Answer

Adding to this, the portfolioChildIssuesOf function in JQL accepts only one issue key at a time.

The JQL syntax would be: key in portfolioChildIssuesOf("<Epic Key>")

There's a suggestion ticket to improve it's searchability: https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRACLOUD-89892

Thanks!

Piyush Annadate _ACE Pune_ · Answer

Hello @Shena Goorawa

Prior to answer: Do you have Scriptrunner installed?

JIRA native JQL lack an important aspect which is "list all child (Recursive) based on query" - with that said, you cannot have listing of issue and its child based on nested JQL (scriptrunner enhanced search and JQL Extension can).

Have you tried - portfolio child issue of? https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfoliocloud/searching-for-portfolio-for-jira-custom-fields-in-jql-941619014.html

Above would be able to help you to achieve something.