How to find epics with no stories

[Cassandra Chan]

I'm not sure if it is possible to have an epic without any associated stories. In order to prove if this is true or not, I am trying to write a query using built-in jql functions as well as the Scriptrunner plugin.

Can epics exist with no stories? If so, has anyone already tried to implement this?

[Vijay Khacharia · Accepted solution]

Hi,

It is possible to have epics without stories associated. We have scenarios like this and it can be made visible using below JQL.

issueFunction not in linkedIssuesOf("project = eai and type = story", "has Epic") and project = eai and type = epic

I use script runner issuefunction to get the epics that does not have a link to epic and then filter the epics for that project.

Regards,

Vijay.

[Adeel Nazir]

above JQL is not 100% correct. it works on some EPICs. i don't know why

Following JQL works:

project = PROJECT and issuetype = Epic and issueFunction not in hasLinkType("Epic-Story Link")

[Ste]

This also works I think for a shorter query:

project = X and issuetype = Epic and issueFunction not in epicsOf("project = X")

[Raj Reddy]

Hi,

how will I rephrase the above if I have more than one project . For example if I have Project=X, Y

appreciate your help.

[Ste]

Hi @Raj Reddy 

You can change the operator to accomodate this - "=" is for one project, whilst "IN" is for multiple. 

So for example...

project IN (X,Y,Z) and issuetype = Epic and issueFunction not in epicsOf("project IN (X,Y,Z)")

Ste

[Raj Reddy]

Thank you Ste. It works.

[Deleted user]

Is there a way to do this without the script runner plugin?

[Deleted user]

Is there a way to do this in Atlassian Cloud.

Regards

Ron

[John Drury]

project = XXX and issuetype = Story and "Epic Link" is EMPTY

None of the others work; issueFunction and hasLinkType are not available in the cloud version

[Ste]

Are you sure John? I've got little experience with Scriptrunner in Cloud but it seems to suggest there is Scriptrunner Enhanced Search and JQL aliases to get around some of the limitations in Cloud.

These do have some issue link searches you can use.

The search above shows stories with no epic - not epics with no stories below them.

Ste

[Adeel Nazir]

project = PROJECT and issuetype = Epic and issueFunction not in hasLinkType("Epic-Story Link")