Can I use Story Point Estimates for User Stories and Hours Estimates for Sub-Tasks?

[Seth Silvernail]

I have teams who estimate User Stories with Story Points during Grooming to assist with Product Owner Velocity based forecasting but when Sprint planning we use time based estimates for Sub-Tasks for Capacity based planning. 

Does JIRA support the ability to Estimate in Story Points for User Stories and Estimate in Time for Sub-Tasks?

[Jobin Kuruvilla [Adaptavist]]

You can absolutely have both fields captured on the tickets, even on the same ticket but your board can have only one estimate field. As a team, you can capture story points against stories and time estimates against sub-tasks but the estimate on the board have to be one or the other.

The estimate field on the board is used in every reports available on the board but you can still log and track the time on sub-tasks. You just wouldn't have the same flexibility of the estimate field.

[Justin Evans]

To add to what Jobin said, you might consider two different processes for two different audiences.

With story points and velocity estimations, it makes sense to map your scrum board to leverage story points as your metric and utilize Jira Software's native reporting features.

For capacity planning, you might want to look into an app like Tempo Planner. Both of these options can be used independently without having too disjoint of an experience.

[Seth Silvernail]

Thanks Jobin and Justin for your answers.

Jobin - One other question, you mentioned that I can both "capture story points against stories and time estimates against sub-tasks", how do I configure my board for that?

I set the board up for using Story Points for the estimate and when I add sub-tasks there is no field for me to enter time estimates against.

Thank you!

[Jack Brickey]

@Seth Silvernail, as @Jobin Kuruvilla [Adaptavist] indicated you cannot have both methods appear on a board.

[Seth Silvernail]

@Jack Brickey My apologies for not being clear on my question, on his original post Jobin mentioned that I can capture a time estimate against a sub-task even if using Story Points for estimation but I wasn't sure how/where in the sub-task I can capture that estimate and was looking for assistance with that.

I understand that only one method can be displayed, but he mentioned both estimates could still be captured.

Thank you!