Migrating from Classic to Next-gen Software Projects

[Stephen T]

Are there instructions on how to migrate from current Classic Project to Next Gen Software Projects?

And if so, are there things that will be lost/broke post-migration?

[Daniel Eads · Accepted solution]

Hey all!

Currently there are no straight-up migration features. If you want to use Next-Gen features with existing issues right now, you will need to create a new Next-Gen project and move issues from your current Classic projects.

Several features are not available in Next-Gen projects as of this moment that you might expect from using Classic projects. Things like modifying a workflow - changing validators and post functions. I won't list everything out as this is constantly changing, but instead refer you to the Next-Gen roadmap: https://www.atlassian.com/roadmap/jira-software

If this changes in the near future I'll come back and update this answer.

Cheers,
Daniel

Edit: We do have another post by one of our product managers which describes some of the features which are not currently available in Next-Gen projects.

Tyler points out in another answer that we have step-by-step documentation for moving issues between Classic and Next-Gen projects.

[drew]

Thanks Daniel.  Is there a way to copy all issues into the next-gen project (rather than move them)?

[Daniel Eads]

Hey Drew,

Currently there's no bulk copy option in Jira Cloud (see feature request JRACLOUD-37520) instead of just moving the issues. There is however a paid Marketplace add-on called Deep Clone for Jira that provides that functionality.

Cheers,
Daniel

[Shakeel Shaik]

@drew This was the exact question in my mind when I got to know that there is no clear way of cloning the classic project to Next-Gen.

@Eaniel Deads Thank you for your response! Not having an option to "Copy" is really unfortunate. The first thing most of us would love to do is to migrate (Clone) classic projects to Next-Gen, If there's no option to do that directly in Next-Gen then the minimum expectation would be to be able to bulk copy the work items from classic to next-gen and not to move items. I would love to see Atlassian Team  coming up with some solution for this BIG problem. 

[Antoine Sauvage]

+1 :)

[Jay Martinsen]

That or just auto upgrade all classic project to next gen and not tell anyone, kind of like how Atlassian changed our custom permissions so all jira-users can now create next gen projects. All of sudden we had all these new projects getting created by our end users. Not cool.

[Deleted user]

+100

[Ernest Liu]

Introducing Next-Gen without a proper (or even slightly hacky) form of migration seems like an oversight.

[Ana-Maria Erascu]

Hi, @Daniel Eads, since it's 2020, are there any updates regarding this migration from classic Jira software into Next-gen software? And what items might be lost due to migration?

Thanks!

[Andre Castillo]

Honestly, it's rather incredible that a "Copy" feature doesn't exist to allow managers to test new functionality.

I'm guessing this comment will be lost in the void like some of my other comments on really stupid things Atlassian does to JIRA.

[Ana-Maria Erascu]

I've been to a Jira webinar about roadmaps and they said they'll release the roadmap feature to classic projects as well within the next few months. 

[Charanya Muthukaruppiah]

Any updates available on when the roadmaps will be available for classic projects ?

[Ana-Maria Erascu]

Guys, it's out! https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftwarecloud/enable-and-disable-the-roadmap-1004952906.html

[Muhammad Bin Khalid]

@Ana-Maria Erascu Thanks alot

[drew]

Same question - seems cruel to tease the new features (especially Roadmap) but not give clear instructions on how to try it out.  I see a tutorial for migrating from next-gen to classic, but not the other way around.  We're using a classic project and I'd like to give next-gen a spin, but do not want to start a new project from scratch, nor risk not being able to switch back to classic.  Any suggestions?

[Alex Reizer]

Drew, honestly, some companies need a "swing and a miss" type release, to come to conclusions. Consider Snapchat failed re-design, which they stuck to until it was too late, or companies implementing a Beta feature no one used, and modifying UI in a way that causes strain to millions of existing users.

If you roll out "Roadmaps", you CANNOT just strip down all existing components of Jira for projects that simply want to have a roadmap.

I am biding my time on this one, and honestly, so far I don't like the direction of "flexible" = "nothing is pre-defined".

I rely on Jira as an "works out of the box" type of tool, which is sometimes too complex, but does the core work very well, with decent documentation and nice integrations.

To remove everything for a sleeker UI, not worth it.

[Kevin]

I wonder why no one mentions the limitation of next-gen being stuck with only TODO, IN PROGRESS and  DONE.  And now we have no easy way to switch from next-gen to Classic. This is very frustrating, esp. for new JIRA users such as us.

[Josh Kodroff]

Maybe this is a new feature since @Kevbo posted, but you can definitely add columns to next gen projects.

[Tyler Reiff]

Here’s a link explaining the migration process and it’s pitfalls when going from classic to next-gen.

https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirasoftwarecloud/migrate-from-an-next-gen-project-to-a-classic-project-957974933.html

[Mayank]

Hey All!

Old post but I would like to add that I came across the same requirement and it was literally not possible to migrate all the stories of all the projects we had in the classic project. So I wrote a python script to do it for me. You can try it out as well. https://github.com/maknahar/jira-classic-to-next-gen

[Marlene Kegel - codefortynine]

As mentioned by Daniel Eads cloning between classic to next-gen projects is possible with our cloud app Deep Clone for Jira.

A few days ago we released an update that fixed some issues with next-gen. So the procedure of copying issues from a classic to a next-gen project using Deep Clone should be smooth and easy now.

Let us know if you experience any issues.

[Peter Leclercq]

I had a quick look to Deep Clone and I would like to understand it you solve the migration issue of losing story point estimates when moving from classic to next-gen projects and the links between the issues. 

These are the main points that hold me back from moving to next-gen so would be very glad to hear that you cracked this.

[Marlene Kegel - codefortynine]

Hi Peter,

With Deep Clone for Jira you can clone Story Point Estimates (NOT Story Points) from a classic project to a next-gen project.

You need to turn the estimation toggle on in the project settings of the next-gen project to activate the field "Story Point Estimates".

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Core-questions/Adding-Story-Points-to-a-Next-Gen-Scrum-Board-User-Story/qaq-p/911744

If the field isn't active in the next-gen project the Story Point Estimates aren't cloned.

Story Points can only be cloned between two classic projects. They are not cloned from a classic to a next-gen project.

Issue links can be cloned with Deep Clone for Jira. You just have to select that option when you configure the clone.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you have further questions, Peter.

[Daniel_Bunte]

Does anyone know if this has certain requirements to work?

I tried this with a bunch of different scenarios. First I created a new next-gen project.

Then I tried creating a new classic project with a shared configuration of an existing (complex) one and even creating a new classic project from scratch.

I tried to move issues from any of the classic projects to a next-gen, but when I see the page to select the new project, only classic projects are listed.

Am I missing something? Is there some black magic or hidden settings involved to get things running?

I followed the step-by-step guide.

Cheers,

Daniel

[Daniel_Bunte]

Figured it out :-/ I wasn't an admin of the new next-gen project and therefore couldn't select it from the drop down.

[Gabriel Côté]

From what I understand, the next gen JIRA experience is on a completely new tech stack. Therefore, most of the features and settings in the classic version are non existent in this newer Next Gen version. This leads to multiple discrepancies if you were to only "migrate" from classic to next-gen.  

Unless the Atlassian Team implements exactly all the same features than the classic version, this "One-Click" migration will be impossible. That being said, what would be the purpose of creating an exact replica of what is currently the "Classic Version" ? I think the Atlassian Team are moving to a new vision of what JIRA could be, and that all the design changes will be reflected in the Next Gen Projects.

The only solution offered to "migrate" is to move and remap all the issues from a classic project to a next gen project. Keep in mind some advanced configuration could be lost in the process because the new version does not support them at the time.

TL;DR: The Next Gen Projects are currently a "leaned" version of Classic Projects and are partially compatible.