Issue Bulk Importing, how do I import the epic Link?

[John]

I have a csv file that I am using to bulk import issues. All of the columns/data are translating without issue except for the "Epic Link" Field.

I have an Epic with the Epic Link "Test Epic". I have a column in my csv file called "Epic Link" and the relevant rows have the value "Test Epic".

When I bulk import my issues this value is not populated and it doesn't generate an error. I have tried with and without quotes. Any ideas?

Thanks

[Tomislav Tobijas]

🗓️ Tested this on 15/7/2023.

Conclusion

• ⛔ While relation Issue Id ↔︎ Parent Id works for linking sub-tasks, it doesn't work for linking issues with Epics
• ✅ Linking issues with Epics works if you set ⚠️ unique Epic Name value and then use that same value for Tasks/Stories in Epic Link column.
  When talking about a "unique" value, this means that this value must not already exist in your project, nor you can use the same value/string more than once in your .csv file
  

For example, you can use value "Epic #1" for Epic Link if there is/will be only one Epic with Epic Name "Epic #1" within the project where you're importing issues.
It seems that within the same instance/site, you can have multiple Epics with the same Epic Name, but they would need to be in different projects than the one to which you're importing new issues.

Even though "Epic Name" field is not required (since a few weeks ago), it seems that it's the only way to link issues with Epics. If anyone knows a better solution for this, feel free to share the knowledge. 🙌

*import was tested via Jira admin section (Settings > System > External System Import)

[tabish.mohammed]

This helped me importing similar issues in different epics in JIRA.

Thank you for your help on this! :-)

[Trudy Claspill]

Are you importing the issues to a Company Managed project or a Team Managed project?

For a Team Managed project it is currently not possible to use the CSV import to link stories to Epics.

For a Company Managed project, if the Epic already exists in Jira and you know its Issue Key (i.e. ABC-123), add that key to a column in your CSV for each child issue, and link that column to the Epic Link field when mapping fields for your import.

If you are trying to create the Epic in the same CSV import process as the child issue, then you have to do something like this:

Type,Issue ID, Summary, Epic Link
Epic, 1, Epic Summary, 
Story, 2, Story 2 Summary, 1
Story, 3, Story 3 Summary, 1
Story, 4, Story 4 summary, 1

Create an Issue ID field in your CSV. Assign unique numbers in that column to each issue. For the child issues, put the Issue ID value of the parent Epic in the Epic Link column for those child issues. When importing the data, again map that Epic Link column to the Epic Link field.

[John]

Thanks,

This is for a company managed project. The epic does already exist within Jira.

So in the current epic link column I have, I can just replace the name "Test Epic" name I currently have with the issue key of the epic and that will work?

[Trudy Claspill]

Yes, it should.

[Sierra]

Hi @Trudy Claspill  would you please review what I have and point me in the right direction? 

I'm trying to follow these directions of yours: 

"If you are trying to create the Epic in the same CSV import process as the child issue, then you have to do something like this:

Type,Issue ID, Summary, Epic Link
Epic, 1, Epic Summary, 
Story, 2, Story 2 Summary, 1
Story, 3, Story 3 Summary, 1
Story, 4, Story 4 summary, 1

Create an Issue ID field in your CSV. Assign unique numbers in that column to each issue. For the child issues, put the Issue ID value of the parent Epic in the Epic Link column for those child issues. When importing the data, again map that Epic Link column to the Epic Link field."

Did I misunderstand something? 

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Sierra 

Are you a Jira Administrator?

Are you working with Jira Cloud or Jira Server/Data Center?

How did you access the CSV import functionality? There are multiple ways to get to it.

- from the Advanced Issue Search screen

- from the Create Issue dialog

- for a Jira Administrator, from the gear icon / System / External System Import

[Sierra]

@Trudy Claspill yes I am. Jira Cloud. I accessed it by clicking "Import issues from CSV" within the software project on the Issues tab. 

[Trudy Claspill]

Try the Jira Administrator path:

from the gear icon / System / External System Import / CSV

[Sierra]

I went through that path this morning, the same outcome as in none of the Tasks are linked to their Epic. When looking in the project these were imported into, everything else imported accurately and as intended. 

[Trudy Claspill]

It appears that the functionality has changed.

I am 100% positive that it used to work using a unique number for Issue Key and putting that into the Epic Link column of the child issues. That is not working for me at this time.

However, if you put the Epic Name value into the Epic Link field of the child issues, and the Epics come before the child issues in the CSV, then the import works. And the unique number Issue Key is not needed in that case.

[Sierra]

This morning I put the Epic Name values into the Epic Link field of the child issues, removed the Issue ID column. Same result, everything imports correctly over expect the issues aren't affiliated with the Epics. I just found another post with this issue Solved: Errorperforming CSV import: Cannot add value to Ep... (atlassian.com) , that you happened to of commented on. I notice we have one thing in common, I do have existing Epics in the project with the same Summary name...this was because the ask is to have several of the same boards created to jump in-between for a specific type of work. I suppose I'm going to try to get them to give different Epic Names for each board...

[Daniel Miradakis]

Can confirm, as of 2022-09-13, you still cannot link new issues to Epics when importing issues for a Team-managed project.

[Trudy Claspill]

You can vote/comment on Atlassian's backlog issue about that here:

https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JSWCLOUD-17758

[Mayur Jadhav]

Hi @John 

I have already provided answer for the similar question, would request you to check this too.!!!

csv import: import to issue under epic

Please let me knw in case of any queries or questions.

Regards,
Mayur