How to create templates for Epics, Stories, Bugs and Spikes

[Karl Lewis]

Hi i would like to create some custom templates for Epics, Stories, Bugs and Spikes that will be the default for each project/product. Can I ask for some help in how i navigate to complete this? Thanks 

[Olga Cheban _TitanApps_]

hi @Karl Lewis ! As you probably already see from the previous replies, unfortunately, Jira doesn't have a native feature for this. So you can either use a workaround or do this with the help of a third-party app.

As for workarounds, you can set up an automation to clone issues based on your conditions. It's not perfect, but it allows you to clone an issue once it's marked done, or when it transitions to "In progress" or another status, or to clone it on a schedule, for example. The latter can be helpful for recurring tasks. Could you give me a bit more details about your situation? When would you typically need to use an issue template? Maybe I can think of something else once I know more.

I can also recommend you try our app, Smart Templates for Jira. It can turn any issue into a reusable template - for example, if you have an epic containing tasks, subtasks, and/or checklists, you can make it into a template, and all the hierarchy will be preserved.  Depending on what you need, maybe you can achieve your goal even with the free version of the app. Let me know if you have questions. I hope this helps

[Kate Pawlak _Appsvio_]

Hi @Karl Lewis

Unfortunately, there is no native option which allow you to do it. You can create some automations but I'm not sure if it will be easy to maintain it. It depends how many and how complicated issues you want to create.

You can use our app Issue Templates Agent. With this app, you can define templates, not only basic but also the whole hierarchies, and use them in automation to create the same set of issues when you create a new project. Here you can find description how to do it: https://docs.appsvio.com/issue-templates-agent-for-jira/using-app/usage-in-automation/create-new-projects-with-issues. What it's worth to add that you can also use this app on the native Create issue screen and define templates for regular issues. It can be helpful solution for your teams in their daily work.  

[Lukas Nicolai_Seibert]

Welcome @Karl Lewis 

If using a third-party app is an option for you, you can easily do this with Templating.app! I've listed some videos below that would guide you through the process:

Automatically trigger the creation of a single issue or issue hierarchy via Jira Automation:

• Watch video guide 

Create an issue template for a story in Jira:

• Watch video guide 

Would you like assistance setting this up?

• Feel free to jump on a call with us!

Hope this helps!

[Clara Belin-Brosseau_Elements]

Hi @Karl Lewis

An easy solution to create new projects from templates would be use our app Elements Copy & Sync.

These are the steps recommended:

• Create a dedicated project with templated issues that will be cloned each time you need to start to create a new project. You can create different levels of hierarchies (epic > task > subtasks for example)
• Create an Elements Copy & Sync recipe to automate the duplication of all these issues with their hierarchy in your new project

The app is very easy to set up and for free for 30 days (and it stays free up to 10 users), so don't hesitate to give it a try :)

[John Funk]

Hi Karl - Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

There are some third party apps that will help you do this - like Deep Clone. 

Of if you want to do it without an app, you could create an automation that will create the the issues for you based on certain types/categories of projects being created. 

[Marlene Kegel - codefortynine]

Welcome to the Atlassian Community, @Karl Lewis.

I am Marlene, product manager of Deep Clone for Jira. @John Funk, Thank you for mentioning our app.

You can read more about templating with Deep Clone for Jira in this article. The article describes how to work with template projects, but we support all kinds of templates:

• Single template issues
• A set of template issues
• Template epics (or other hierarchies)
• Template projects