Import data into Jira isn't working

Question

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to use the CSV import feature on Jira Cloud Standard (trial) to bulk-create Epics, but I keep getting the following error:

"We couldn't import data. Contact our support team for assistance"

My CSV has the following columns:

* Summary

* Work Type

* Status

* Priority

* Reporter

* Labels

* Description

Here's what I've already checked and fixed:

* Labels have no spaces (using hyphens instead)

* Descriptions are plain text, no wiki markup or special characters

* The file is saved as UTF-8

* Fields with commas or line breaks are properly enclosed in double quotes

Despite all this, the import still fails. Has anyone experienced similar issues with CSV imports on Jira Cloud Standard trial? Are there any known limitations or gotchas I should be aware of?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Arkadiusz Wroblewski · Answer

@Betty Torres

It's kinda like troubleshooting in IT.

Sometimes you must simplify to see the real problem or blocker.

No problem. 😃☀️we are here to help.

Equipo Funcional · Answer

Thanks a lot, Arkadiusz!

What I ended up doing was simplifying the file and changing the column order to:

Work Type | Status | Summary | Description

I removed the extra columns and tried importing step by step, and that worked 👍

Appreciate the guidance — it definitely helped!

Best regards,
BT

Arkadiusz Wroblewski · Answer

Hi @Betty Torres

Generic failures are frustrating 🤧

The quickest way to troubleshoot/see what generating your problem is to test a single-row CSV with just a Summary and Work Type (Epic).

So in short, just... if a primary one don't go through then Simplify your import.

If that works, add your columns back gradually. Mismatched Status, Priority, or Reporter fields are usually blocker here. Use the "Validate" tool to catch specific errors, but if even a basic one-row test fails, it's time to reach out to Atlassian Support.

Best,

Arkadiusz 🤠