How to clone entire project issues including issue links?

[Ram P]

Hi.

I am new to JIRA software (cloud based).

How do I "clone an entire project issues including their issues links".

What are my options (scripts/easy/hard/cheap/expensive/secure/non secure). Coding myself is not one of these options.

Note: The best I came up to is "Deep Clone" which does not seem to have capability to clone whole projects. Please correct me with proof if I misunderstood its capabilities.

[Marlene Kegel - codefortynine]

Hi @Ram P ,

I am the product manager of Deep Clone for Jira.

Cloning a standard project tasks list is possible with our app. 

It is possible to

• clone entire Jira projects along with all issues.
• clone issues in bulk (up to 5000 issues at once).

You can also maintain links/dependencies while cloning. There are different ways to clone issue links (as you can see in the screenshot below).

If possible, can you share with me, where you've read that cloning a list of issues is not possible with Deep Clone for Jira? Thank you!

If you have questions or feedback about our Marketplace app, don't hesitate to contact our support.

[Mickael Yusufidis]

Hi Marlene.  I'm wondering if there's a way to Deep Clone projects between Jira Instances?

[Marlene Kegel - codefortynine]

Update Apr 19, 2021: We released an update that enables you to clone issues between two or more Jira cloud instances.

Welcome to the community, @Mickael Yusufidis 

It will be possible in the near future. We are currently working on an update, that enables Deep Clone customers to clone issues between Jira instances.

We could notify once it is released, if you write a message to our support.

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Ram P 

Welcome to the community.

Can you elaborate on what you are trying to accomplish by cloning the project? That will help inform answers that are provided.

Are you trying to clone just the issues in the project with all associated data (history, links, comments, work logged)? Or are you also trying to clone the project configuration (workflows, screens, permissions)?

When you say you want to clone the links, if one of the source issues has a link to another issue in the same source project, would you expect the cloned issues to have that same link to the secondary source issue, or would you expect the cloning process to create a link to the cloned issue created for the secondary source issue. Example:

SRC-1 links to SRC-2

Will CLN-1 link to SRC-2 or to CLN-2?

[Ram P]

Hi @Trudy Claspill

Thank you for your query.

We want to clone standard project task list for every new project.

And maintaining links/dependencies is the objective. 

If not for issue links, I believe that all other data can be edited through Excel and imported into JIRA as a CSV.

E.g.:

In source project: SRC-1 links to SRC-2.

In clone project: CLN-1 links to CLN-2.

We do not need any clone links to source projects task list.

Project Configuration: I would also like to know how we can copy workflows, screens, permissions, etc. Can we copy them when creating new project?

@Trudy Claspill 

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Ram P 

Are you using Classic or Next Gen projects?

In the Create Project UI in JIRA, there is a checkbox for "share settings with an existing project"

When you check that box you will get a "Choose Project" picklist. Select the project that already is configured with the workflows, screens, permissions, etc. that you want for the new project. When you click the Create button the new project will be created linked to the same Workflow Scheme, Field Configuration Scheme, Issue Type Scheme, Permission Scheme, etc. that are used in the original project.

Regarding the creation of issue links when "cloning" a project, you can do this through CSV import if you have JIRA Administrator permissions.

If you have read this JIRA article on importing issues from CSV

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-cloud-administration/docs/import-data-from-a-csv-file/

...the concept to use is similar to how they describe importing sub-tasks.

Here is an article from a consulting company on the topic of importing links.

https://www.praecipio.com/resources/blog/guide-import-linked-issues-into-jira-from-csv

You would need to create a CSV that included all the source issues and their linked issues. You can do that through the Advanced Search UI, using the List View of the output, and adding the Links column.

Basically, each issue in your CSV file needs a unique numeric identifier. Then in the Links columns in your CSV, you reference the unique numeric identifier for the linked issue instead of the Issue Key. 

Here's a simple example. If this was your output CSV

Issue Key, Type, Summary, Outward Issue Link (Blocks)
SRC-1, Story, Summary text, SRC-2
SRC-2, Story, Summary text

You would modify it thus to use for import

Issue ID, Type, Summary, Outward Issue Link (Blocks)
1, Story, Summary text, 2
2, Story, Summary text

Let me know if that makes sense or if you have more questions.