Sub-tasks Still Showing in Filters and Boards Even though They are Filtered Out

Question

I have used the "issuetype != Sub-task" to try to stop Sub-tasks from appearing on our boards, but they still are showing when running the filter and as such they are still showing on the board.  How do you get rid of sub-tasks from boards?!

I've also tried using "issuetype in (Story, Bug, Task, Spike)" and Sub-tasks are STILL appearing in the board.

Please help!!!

James Gamble · Answer

Hola Patch,

A useful first test is to run only this JQL in the advanced search:

issuetype not in subTaskIssueTypes()

That excludes all work types that Jira classifies as subtasks, including custom or renamed subtask types. Atlassian’s guidance for hiding subtasks from a company-managed board is to exclude them in the board’s saved filter.

If that standalone query still returns an item you believe is a subtask, open it and confirm its actual work type. It may be a standard work type named something similar to “Sub-task,” rather than a work type configured with the subtask hierarchy.

If the standalone query works, the next step is to verify the complete JQL. An OR clause elsewhere can add the subtasks back unless the conditions are grouped correctly. For example:

project = ABC AND issuetype not in subTaskIssueTypes() AND (assignee = currentUser() OR reporter = currentUser())

For a company-managed board, also confirm that you’re changing the filter the board actually uses: Board > More actions > Board settings > General > Saved filter > Edit filter query. Save the filter after editing it.

One other possibility is that the items are being shown as expandable children beneath their parents rather than being returned as independent results. In the backlog, check View settings > Subtasks and collapse or hide them. That display setting is separate from whether the subtasks match the underlying JQL.

If none of those explain it, could you share the full JQL, whether the project is company-managed or team-managed, and a screenshot showing how the subtasks appear? That’ll help distinguish a filter result from the board’s nested subtask display.

Thanks,

James

Thanasis Nikolaou · Answer

Hey @Patch Panzella

The clue is your second attempt: issuetype in (Story, Bug, Task, Spike) literally cannot return sub-tasks, so the query being run isn't the one you edited. Nine times out of ten this is one of these:

* You edited the JQL in the search bar but never hit Save on the filter itself. The board reads the saved filter, not what's currently in the search box — the new UI makes this really easy to miss.
* The board is pointed at a different filter than the one you changed. Check via ••• → Configure board → General and edit the exact filter named there.
* Your full filter has an OR in it. project = X AND issuetype != Sub-task OR assignee = y re-admits sub-tasks because AND binds tighter — wrap the OR part in parentheses.
* Your site has renamed or extra sub-task types (newer sites use "Subtask", no hyphen). This is the bulletproof version:

issuetype not in subTaskIssueTypes()

One caveat: all of the above assumes a company-managed project. If it's team-managed, the board doesn't use a saved filter at all, which would explain why your JQL changes nothing.