How to add several epics to a version?

[Raymond Cayanan]

We want to group or add our epics to a specific version.  How do we go about doing that?

[Ed Guy]

Based on my use of the product over the last few years JIRA Agile appears to support the notion that an Epic is too large and possibly too vague to execute.  If that's true, then Epics are also too large/vague to be scheduled.  The executable, schedule-able unit is the User Story.  User Stories can be attached to an Epic and a Version (either, neither or both); each relationship has its own purpose.  We use Versions to plan and track completion of User Stories toward schedule-driven objectives.  We use Epics to plan and track completion of User Stories toward functional objectives.  It is not unusual for us to leave lower-priority elements of a planned release (Version) on the table if business needs change; sometimes the User Stories are shifted to a subsequent Version and sometimes they are abandoned.  The schedule can still be maintained.  Similarly, we might leave lower-priority User Stories derived from an Epic unimplemented in favor of higher-priority work in a different Epic.  We might close an Epic without completing all the User Stories attached to it, but the User Stories remain and can be re-prioritized and re-planned as appropriate.  Honoring this separation in JIRA Agile makes our use of the tool more effective for us.

...for what it's worth.

Ed

[William Crighton [CCC]]

JIRA Agile won't let you select multiple epics and drag them to a version like you can with issues - I'm guessing you are trying to do this when viewing a Rapid Board.

I'd just take the rapid board filter and plug it into your issue navigator (search for issues) and then limit the issue type to epic and bulk edit them setting the version you want. Few more clicks but better than having to edit each one.

-wc