How do I link a Level 4 jira issue ticket type to a Level 2 jira issue ticket type as a Parent

[Linda Gregier]

Hello! I need help with a Jira ticket issue type hierachy/parent linking issue. In the past my manager was able to link Epics (Level 1) to 2 higher level ticket types: Initiative (Level 2) and Themes (Level 3). We want to create another Jira ticket issue type on the SAME level as Initiatives (Level 2) but I was unable to find how to create another issue type at the same level so I created another level in between Themes (now Level 4) and Initiatives (still Level 2). Unfortunately after creating this new level Jira ticket issue type our Jira instance is no longer allowing me to link an Initiative (Level 2) directly to a Theme (Level 4) whereas in the past we could have a direct parent link of Initiative (level 2) --> Theme (Level 3).

I get why (because there's a skip level for the new Jira issue ticket type now at level 3) however in the past we were also able to directly link an Epic (level 1) --> Theme (Level 3) and I'm trying to find a way to be able to link a lower level Jira ticket issue type to a skip level issue type OR make 2 different ticket issue types at the same hierarchy level (in this instance it would be level 2). Any tips/experiences you have with this would be greatly appreciated! TIA

[Trudy Claspill · Accepted solution]

Hello @Linda Gregier 

Let us address how to add another issue type to a level.

First you create the new issue type as a Standard (level 0) issue type. (Jira doesn't allow you to create new issue types directly at levels 1 and above.)

Next in the Issue Type Hierarchy screen you click in the pull-down area in the Jira Issue Types column for the level where you want to place that new issue type.

That opens a pop-up allowing you to select the issue type you want to place at that level.

Given that you have already added the new issue type to a new level, you need to Remove that level so that the issue type is free to be added to the appropriate level.

If the new level you created had more than one issue type and you wanted to keep that level, you could use the pull down at that level to click on the issue type in the Selected section of the list to remove it from that level.