CSV upload of "is blocked by" link

[Bryn T Hird]

I have a bunch of stories that need importing and we know they are blocked by existing stories.

I know I can use Jira Importers Plugin to import links but I think it only does so for "blocks" / outward links. I want to specify "is blocked by" / inward links. I think this would be possible if I could reference the Link Direction attribute, but I cannot find it in the mapping tool.

Any clues anyone?

Regards, Bryn

[Earl McCutcheon · Accepted solution]

Hi Bryn,

As you noted in the CSV import, a link from the source issue to the destination issue is always  going to be represented in the import as an outward link.   if you want to create an inward link, you need to swap the source and destination updating the existing issue with the details of the new issues that you want to link it to.  

Additional details on the formatting to use can be seen in:

• How to Import Issue Links from a CSV File

However there are a couple caveats to this, where first for existing issues if you create a row for link to the new issue, you'll also need to have columns for all of the issues fields that have data in addition to the new field value, otherwise they will be reset to default values.

Next you'll need to use the the Admin CSV import tool under system administration >> external system import instead of the Non-admin csv import located in the Issues >> CSV import drop down.  The non-admin CSV Importer is locked down in its functionality and securely designed so that it only allows creation of new issues and cannot update existing. To update existing issues, use the admin CSV Importer available in External System Import menu in system settings.

Regards,
Earl

[Bryn T Hird]

Thanks Earl, appreciated.

[Nikhil]

Jira currently only allows the import of outward link descriptions. 

Here's a feature request created for the ability to import inward link descriptions implemented in Jira Server application:

- CSV Importer should allow users to choose to import Issue links as Outward or Inward Description

Please vote.