import a list of issues including sub tasks in one import

[Thom Derckx]

Hi, I wonder if it is possible to import a new list of jira's and create sub-tasks right away for the jira with yet unknown issue id?

The purpose is to create a tree of Jira's for repeating project jobs.
If we can create an import file we can import this file over and over again to create the same tree for multiple projects.  

thanks in advance and looking forward to responses.

Thom

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can, see https://confluence.atlassian.com/adminjiracloud/importing-data-from-csv-776636762.html

I'm not sure the sub-task section is too well written, as a lot of people seem to struggle with it, but this is a less fussy example of a file that will create 5 issues, two tasks and 3 sub-tasks:

• summary, issue id, parent id
• story1, 1,,
• subtask-1-1, 4, 1
• story2, 8,,
• subtask-2-1, 16, 8
• subtask-1-2, 32, 1

Note that the issue id will be imported into "external id" as well, and the "parent id" is not imported directly, because it's only used to make the parent/sub-task link.  Also, you'll need some other columns for issue type etc.  I really did build that file to show you the parent/sub-task structure, nothing else

[Thom Derckx]

Hi Nic,
Thank you! Guess this is what I need.
The 'trick' with the parent id linking to the external id (alias of issue id)
I didn't read about that behaviour.

I test this asap.
Thanks again!

Thom 

[Bob]

Have you been able to make this work? Using the example above I always get an error "Fatal error during import: Parent Issue cannot be null". 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

A lot of people have made this work.  Have you tried importing data in the structure given above?  The error you are getting suggests you are trying to create sub-tasks without parent issues.

[Rob Peterson]

@Bob - same - anything with the blank value, as the example given of:

• summary, issue id, parent id
• story1     , 1          ,,

This line throws the error:

 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

I only get that when the line contains a sub-task type and the parent id is empty

[Rob Peterson]

hmm. I tried a lot of different variations.  Any time I had a line that didn't have a value for the parent id, even though it didn't need one, it would fail.  Example of failure:

Summary, issue id, parent id, issue type, epic link

Client Implementation, 21100,,Epic,

Confirm client data, 21101,,Task,21100

Confirm connectivity,21102,21101,Sub-Task,

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Odd.  But the next thing to try is completely filling the parent column.  For the parent issues, try a self-reference:

Summary, issue id, parent id, issue type, epic link

Client Implementation, 21100,21100,Epic,

Confirm client data, 21101,21101,Task,21100

Confirm connectivity,21102,21101,Sub-Task,

[Fábio Martins]

I am having the same problem. I've tried the self-reference trick but didn't work either. Did Jira change something in their importing process?

[Fábio Martins]

I've found the problem. I was using the import CSV option in the filters view that doesn't support this feature. You must use the import CSV Feature in Admin > System > External System Import and choose the CSV option. Everything will work as explained before.

[Charles Johnson]

eww..
Using the "Admin" menus....
I'm working on a solution for Project Managers to add a ton of (standard) issues for each project via CSV import.  Having to use the "Admin" menus to import subtasks... that's gonna be a problem for them.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Yeah, the limits on the standard import are a bit of a pain.

However, if this is something that you are doing regularly and a lot, have you considereed automating it instead of doing it via repeated import?   If a computer does something that creates a need for an issue, then instead of write it out into a CSV file for later import, just poke it into Jira directly over the REST API?

[wesley_zilva]

i´m using a formula in Excell to create automatic a line with the sub task´s informations.

Excell: =CONCAT("- ";C16;" | ";D16;" / ";"description: ";"""";E16;"""";)

RESULT : 

- APPLICATION TITLE | SCREEN / description: "DESCRIPTION INFORMATION"

but it´s doing bad when i´m using some fields like "estimated", "component"

How can i solve that?

[Jamie Hamilton]

@Fábio Martins that was the issue for me! Thank you for pointing that out!

If sub-tasks are to be included in the import you will need to use the admin function and cannot import sub-tasks from the project screens!!

[Charles Johnson]

At the risk of sounding like an unpaid actor/commercial, 
We ultimately changed gears & solved our frequent & repetitive issue creation needs via the "Issue Templates for Jira" addon.  It'll allow all levels of issue hierarchy creation & because the templates are stored as issues themselves, they're really easy to edit/update as needed.
Thus far, the support for the addon has been really responsive with assistance & resolutions.
CSV will still have a place for the one-offs imports, but the "EVERY new project kickoff task list" is much easier via the template addon.