Epic across multiple projects

[Cathy Covitz]

I want to create an Epic for a business requirement that impacts multiple projects. 

Each project needs stories linked to this Epic. 

Is this possible to do?

Thanks.

[John Funk · Accepted solution]

Hi Cathy,

Yes, Epics can be linked to issues across multiple projects no matter what project the Epic was created against. 

[Cathy Covitz]

Thanks John!

[Shravani Pandarmish]

Hi John, 

Our requirement is also exactly same but with the help of either any app integrated in JIRA or via Rest API's. is there a way to do so since creating dependent tickets on epic is so time consuming that we are looking to automate the same.

Appreciate your response.

Thanks in advance,

Shravani Pandarmish.

[John Funk]

Hi Shravani - Can you create a new question for the community for this? I will get a lot more attention that way. I will answer there also. But the quick answer is yes, automation for Jira can do that for you. 

Here's some information to get you started:

There are two types of automation:

• Global: In the Free version, you get 100 executions per product, per month
• Project: In all versions, you get unlimited executions per month

Automation Basics: https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira/guides/expand-jira/automation

You can do this via global rules to apply to all projects also. You'll need to be a Jira Admin/Site Admin, go to Jira Settings > System > Automation Rules (left-hand menu).

For more on using Automation For Jira see these help pages.

[Shravani Pandarmish]

Hey John,

Created a new ticket for the same.

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-questions/EPIC-Automation-to-create-Dependent-Stories-across-Multiple/qaq-p/1516558

The ask is if we can create a screen where it populates the projects available in the org and on a click of a button it should be able to clone the dependent stories across projects for the EPIC [OR] If there is any app in Jira itself where in it will help creating the dependent stories at ease.

It would help if you could tell us how to raise a support ticket instead of the community ticket that way we can explain the requirement over the call in much more detail.

[John Funk]

I am not an Atlassian employee - just another Jira user who likes to help out.  :-)

I will post a response on the other post. 

[Carl Dichter]

We have a mix of company-managed and team-managed projects and have had mixed results with the ability to add items in other projects.

Do you know what other factors can affect this ability?

[Nick Curties]

Hi, you say that epics can be used to link items across multiple projects but how? I have created an Epic but when I create Jiras in different projects I cannot select the original Epic

[John Funk]

@Nick Curties 

What type of project are you using? Team-managed? Company-managed? Jira Work Management? 

[Nick Curties]

Hi John 

Team managed. 

[John Funk]

Ah, that would be why. Team-managed projects are completely independent of all other projects by design, so you would not be able to use Epics across those types of projects. 

[Nick Curties]

OK, thanks. At least I can stop trying to work it out.

[Jacquelyn Barry]

Hi John - I am also not able to do this in company managed projects. (when I search for epics, only those created in my project are visable),  I do have the enhance my board toggle on - is that why? 

[Deleted user]

Hi, I also need this functionality described at the beginning. But for me it doesn't work. I create a story in a specific project A. I want to link it to an epic that exists already in a different project B, but can only select epics that exist in my current project A. Can you please help?

[John Funk]

Hi Katja - Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

You should always create a new question in the Community so more people will see and and can help. 

[Guillaume Cougard]

Hey @John Funk, could you help us understand how we are supposed to do that? It's impossible on my side to link tickets from different Projects to one Epic...

Using next-gen projects.

[John Funk]

Ah, no you won't be able to do that with Next-gen (Team-managed) projects. Sorry about that.  :-(

[Guillaume Cougard]

Is it planned to make it available? We are handling different User Experiences across different projects, but with really high coupling which means we frequently need to impact multiple projects per Epic...

[John Funk]

Not sure - you would need to check with the Team-managed product managers.

[Lojayna Sherif]

Hi John , i am using the company managed project and still can not find a way to share an epic across different projects , any idea how i can do that ? thnx

[John Funk]

Hi Lojayna - Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

If you are on the task/story/issue, you should be able to select the value for the Epic in the Epic Link field, even if it is on a different project from the issue's project. 

[Lojayna Sherif]

Hi John Thank you so much. i am learning my way around that was very useful 

[Lojayna Sherif]

@John Funk  one more question , can a story/issue appear in more than one project ?

[John Funk]

You are very welcome. 

No - it can be associated with one and one only. 

[Madakannu Prabhu]

@John Funk Thanks for your suggestions here. I have a question related to this.

I  created Epic in different project and Stories in different projects and then link the epic to these stories. 

But i am not able to see epic burndown. I think, epic burndown chart will take the stories/tasks that are in the same project as epic.

What should we do to show epic burndown with the stories/tasks created in different project.

[John Funk]

That's a good question - but I am afraid I don't know the answer to that. You should probably contact Atlassian Support about that. If you do and get an answer, please post it back here.

https://support.atlassian.com/contact/#/

[Madakannu Prabhu]

Thanks @John Funk