Can Jira return the parent task when only a sub-task is updated after a given time filter

Question

I’m using a JQL filter based on the updated field.

In the normal case, I query standard issues only for a project. (subtasks field is included)
When a timestamp is available, I query both standard issues and sub-tasks and apply an updated-after timestamp filter.

My question is about the following scenario:

If only a sub-task is updated after the given timestamp, while the parent task itself is not updated, is there any way (using JQL and/or the Jira REST Search API) to return the parent task (standard issue) and include its subtasks list, instead of returning the sub-task?

In other words:

* The update-time condition matches a sub-task
* The parent task does not match the update-time condition
* The desired result is to still receive the parent task, not the sub-task, and have the parent include its subtasks

Is this behavior supported natively in Jira (Cloud and/or Jira Data Center), or is it a known limitation of JQL?

Thanks for any clarification.

Thiago Wenceslau -Appfire- · Answer

Hi @mustafa_salihi

I’m Thiago, a support engineer at Appfire and I’m here to help you.

If you are considering using third-party apps, the JQL Search Extensions (JQLSE) provides the functionality you are looking for.

First, you must save a filter that finds subtasks updated within a time range,  with the following query:

issue in parentsOfIssuesInQuery("updated >= '2025-12-21' AND updated < '2025-12-23' AND issuetype = Subtask")

Then, you can call the filter inside an JQLSE function, like so:

issue in childrenOfIssuesInQuery("filter = ParentsUpdated") OR filter = "ParentsUpdated"

Here, we are saving the filter that finds the parent of updated Subtasks, then, we are finding their children with the function ˜childrenOfIssuesInQuery˜, and also the filter to show the parent in the results.

Please remember to change the JQL filter to match your project settings.

Please contact our support if you have any other questions about this.

Best regards, Appfire support team.

Tomislav Tobijas · Answer

Hi @mustafa_salihi ,

I'm not quite sure I follow here, but here it goes.

From what you've described I've managed to find one open suggestion that might be relevant: JRACLOUD-18839: Create a JQL functionality to filter the sub-task / child issue for a field value of the parent issue

Now, for the use case itself, the first thing that came to my mind was what about automation? 🤔

For example, you could use trigers such as work item transitioned or scheduled (if you're checking that timestamp field on the sub-task) and then lookup for parent work item and all sub-tasks under that parent item.

Once you have that, you can send that list to Teams, email, or some other channel you like.

That's just an initial idea - it surely needs some work around it.

Cheers,
Tobi