How to clone the whole Epic and child issues included in the Epic

[Lin Zhang]

Hi Team,

How to clone the whole Epic and child issues included in the Epic?

Curently I‘’m using the free version of Jira, so I would like to know that do we have this function? How to use it?

Much apperaciate if you can help with this questions, thanks.

Best regards,

Summer

[Peter Youngman · Accepted solution]

Hi @Lin Zhang 

Create an automation rule like this - note that the right-hand part shows what you need to enter for the "create variable"-step (highlighted in dark background within the logic of the rule.

And what you need to set in the last "create"-step...

[Lin Zhang]

Thanks Peter. Are you using the standad version? I can't find "create variable" on my right-hand part.

[Peter Youngman]

We are on Jira Software cloud premium. I believe that if you can create automation rules, then the create-variable should be available. This was added to automation rules a while ago.

[PATRICIA MURPHY]

@Peter Youngman 

I tried to set up the automation you share but it is not copying the epic. It does create copies of the child stories in the epic but the child stories have no sub-tasks copied from the original stories.

I think I am missing something :-/

Any guidance you can provide is greatly appreciated Thanks

[PATRICIA MURPHY]

This shows the detail of the steps in the rule

[Sergey HRMNY]

Hi, @Peter Youngman !

Where did you get this syntaxes? I didn't find this in documetation  

[James Chan]

@Sergey HRMNY  Peter was showing you how to create your own customised smart value, it wouldn't exist in the atlassian documentation.

[maurício heberle]

It does exist in Atlassian Docs: https://support.atlassian.com/cloud-automation/docs/jira-smart-values-issues/

[Rob Boerman]

@Peter Youngman You are a legend! Thanks for not only specifying the possibility of doing this using an automation but also showing how to use the variable to store the intermediate epic key!

[Jon Snow]

Hi!
To clone an epic, you also need to specify its epic name (step 3 "Then: Create new --> Same issue type in Same project"). 

Otherwise, the epic won't be cloned, only its stories will be copied. Also, you'll get the message that automation ended with some errors.

Btw, to add the Epic Name and Epic Link fields, you need to click the Choose fields to set and select them in a pop-up list.

[Mason Smith]

Is there any documentation? Epic Name or Epic Link form, where can I know the field names?

[Kelli Frattini-Adams]

This is automation is extremely helpful! Thanks everyone.

[John Funk · Accepted solution]

Hi Lin - Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

We use an add-on called Deep Clone that will clone the Epic and all of the children. Otherwise out of the box Jira will not provide that. 

[Lin Zhang]

Thanks John. Is that possible to get more guidance on the function?

[Marlene Kegel - codefortynine]

Hi @Lin Zhang,

I am Marlene from codefortynine and the product manager of Deep Clone for Jira. 

As @John Funk mentioned, it is possible to clone Epics and child issues included in the Epic.

After you've installed Deep Clone you would just have to

• Navigate to the Epic you want to clone
• Select Deep Clone > Epic Clone from the issue action menu
• Configure your clone

Deep Clone is easy to use and designed for every Jira user. 

You can read more about the Deep Clone Epic Clone in our documentation, or watch the Epic Clone demo video.

Feel free to reach out to our support, if you have further questions or feedback.

[John Funk]

Hi @Lin Zhang  - Any update here? If this answered your question, can you click on the Accept Answer button above to close this one out? Thanks!

[Lin Zhang]

@Marlene Kegel - codefortynine @John Funk yes, thanks for your help.

Beside, I have one more question, is that possible to clone the whole Epic across the different project? 

[Marlene Kegel - codefortynine]

@Lin Zhang 

Sorry for the late reply. 

Yes, you can clone and move the cloned Epic to another project or instance, while cloning.

I hope that answers your question?

[Lin Zhang]

Great! Thanks for your help:) @Marlene Kegel - codefortynine 

[Lin Zhang]

Hi Marlene,

Is this deep clone for Jira free or we need to purchase it before using, thanks.

Best regards,

Summer

[Marlene Kegel - codefortynine]

Hi @Lin Zhang,

Deep Clone for Jira is a paid Marketplace app. The costs are calculated based on your instance size. (Update 2022-01-27: Deep Clone for Jira is free for instances with up to 10 users.)

But you can test Deep Clone for Jira for free for a minimum of 30 days. 

You can read more about Deep Clone pricing on our Marketplace page.

[Laura Franceschini]

@Peter Youngman 

I did pretty much what you have shown, above, only:

• using a JQL - as I would like to clone only the "open" Epics and their "open" child (!= Done)
• copying to another Jira project

w3 main issues though:

• it does not copy the issue status (they are all in Backlog for some reasons)
• in the JQL i selected only the Epic (AND EpicLink IN (BL-123, BL234, BL-789...). Should I use ParentEpic instead?
• it does not clone and copy over only the != Done tickets

Many thanks!

Laura

[Mauricio Heberle]

Show us your rule

[Laura Franceschini]

Here it is. It's a manual, so When manually triggered.

Thanks,

L.

[maurício heberle]

From what I can understand by the ss, I'd suggest:

- Change de JQL condition from the first part. Add " Issuetype = epic and statuscategory!= Done

You are triggering the epic which is the father.

Below the branch "For stories( or other issues in epic)

- Add JQL condition " Issuetype != epic and statuscategory!= Done

- Then Clone to desired project. Fill the EpicLink  field with the var you've just created

- Add transition to the status of destination workflow

[Fernando Eugênio da Silva]

Hey, @Lin Zhang 

I'm not sure if natively in the free version this feature is available.

I also tried to do this in a free cloud version even by automation, but I wasn't completely successful.

In the Standard version this option is completely released.

What you can try using the Standar version of the Cloud is to install the Script Runner plugin for the Cloud version, it is free for up to 10 users. In it you can work with some script that makes this cloning of epics with their child issues

[Lin Zhang]

Got it, thanks. Does it works for Kanban Board of Standard version?