How to add issues to a release version by using Kanban board with backlog status as a column?

[Stéfano Augusto de Matos]

Hi everyone, 

Here it goes a very simple question, I hope.

As I've learned, adding issues to a version requires you to be at the backlog page, dragging issues from the backlog list and dropping them at the desired version's spot. However, my team and I agreed to have the backlog mapped as a column on the kanban board, which means, as Jira is designed to, that the backlog list is not shown as a list item on the menu.

The only way else I found to create a version on a kanban board so far is either by clicking on a link positioned at uppercorner of the very end of the board (on top of the 'done column') or by creating another board (preferably scrum), which allows the backlog list to be displayed on the menu, and mapping all To-Do-category-statuses below To Do column (needed for displaying every single issue on the backlog list).

However, I want to be able to plan ahead my release versions. Is there another way I can perform that considering my settings? I don't want to set up different boards to do so nor keep managing my backlog through different boards. 

Please, let me know if you further explanations. 

Thank you in advance for your help,

[Walter Buggenhout _ACA IT_ · Accepted solution]

Hi @Stéfano Augusto de Matos,

There's a couple of things you can do here:

• Fix version (release) is an editable field that you can set by editing issues individually. It allows you to assign issues to a release on an issue by issue basis.
• By adding a workflow screen with that same field and a validator on the transition from your backlog status to the first status that follows, you can enforce users to assign a fix version when they pick up an item from the backlog.
• If you are on a premium plan, Advanced Roadmaps allows you to do this high level release planning up front and in bulk.
• If you are not on a premium plan, there are marketplace apps available (mostly in the roadmapping space) that could help you do the same.

If you decided not to use the backlog view, that probably means that your board does not have that many issues on it. And if that is true, than maybe some of the above options are actually enough to do the trick for you. If you do get a lot of items in that backlog column, you may well come to the conclusion that it might actually be a better plan to start using the built-in backlog view after all.

Hope this helps!

[Stéfano Augusto de Matos]

Thank you Walter for your very detailed answer. It surely helped us alot. 

The thing about using backlog view is that our upstream workflow contains plenty of statuses in between Backlog and To Do, therefore when the issue is in backlog it is yet far behind from the moment we set up our releases. Although we plan our versions ahead, still we tend not to do that that earlier due to unpredictabilty. Yes, we keep our backlog as lean as possible, It helps on managing it, specially by reducing stockpiling, variability, average leadtime and easing priortization.

[Stéfano Augusto de Matos]

@Walter Buggenhout _ACA IT_ ,

Would you mind describing how to plan releases on Advanced Roadmaps step-by-step. You've mentioned that this feature allows you to perform that up front and in bulk. 

I've gone through the entire Advanced Roadmaps' UI but haven't found ways to add single issues to releases nor in bulk.

[Walter Buggenhout _ACA IT_]

Hi @Stéfano Augusto de Matos,

Sure! In your plan, check the tick boxes in front of the issues you want to update. As soon as you select more than 1, a Bulk update button will appear. Click it and select Release from the dropdown:

 

After doing so, click Review changes in the top right corner and save your changes to Jira (all your changes in an advanced roadmaps plan are draft changes until you push them through to your Jira issues).

One or two small remarks:

• since releases are specific to a Jira project, it's best to make sure you only select issues from the same project;
• make sure the release you want to assign issues to is available in your plan.

[Stéfano Augusto de Matos]

Thanks @Walter Buggenhout _ACA IT_ 

I am unsure this came across as clearly as I expected.

I am actually interested on learning how to add up Issues on a release version through Advanced Roadmaps only. In your last reply, you explained how to updated releases by editing Issues that are already set up on the version. I haven't noticed features on Advanced Roadmaps that enable new issues' picking from the respective project, only a button for Issue creation.