Relatinship between the 'Version' on the backlog and the 'Release Version' on the kanban view

[Betty Fleming]

My team is moving from Scrum to Kanban. We still want to group things on our backlog into planned releases (sigh), so I've set up Versions on the Kanban Backlog view for this purpose.  Then I see there is a 'Release' link on the Kanban board, and clicking it prompts me to provide a Version Name. Does this mean there is no relationship between the 'planning versions' used on the backlog and the 'Released Version' from the Kanban view?

[Andy Heinzer · Accepted solution]

Hi Betty,

I understand there is some confusion between the versions created in a project and the releases that appear on the Kanban board.  In John's response, he is using Jira Cloud, and that behavior works a bit differently than it does in Jira Server.  In Jira Software Cloud, you can see the versions to release directly on that board and release them there.

However in Jira Software Server currently, the release link on the board is only intended to create and release a new version.  I can certainly see how this could be confusing.

That said, you can still release a version, you just don't use that specific link on the board.  Instead you can go to the Releases link in the left navigation panel, and then on that page you can click the ... under actions in order to release a version.

Provided the Kanban board subfilter is set to hide issues in a released version, then doing this will remove that issue from the board.

In researching this I found that there is an existing feature request for this in Jira Server over in JSWSERVER-3038.  It does note that this has already been implemented in Cloud, but not yet in Server.

I hope this helps.

Andy

[John Funk]

Thanks for the clarification about Server, Andy. I am now a little bit smarter.  ;-)

[John Funk]

Hi Betty,

The Release button will allow you to select a release version for any Done issues at the time you click on the button. If none of the Done issues are associated with a release version, then it gives you the option to create a New Release. But the Release button should not be clicked until you are indeed Releasing all of the Done issues related to that Release Version. 

[Betty Fleming]

Hmmm.  In testing this, I have one item in the Done column, and it's already associated with an existing Fix Version.  But when I click Release, I'm still prompted to provide a Version name...?

[John Funk]

When you click on the Release dropdown, it should show you unreleased versions associated with any of the Done issues. 

[John Funk]

Be sure that the card has a value in the Fix Versions field in the Done card. 

[Betty Fleming]

Okay...yeah that isn't happening. I double-checked the Fix Version

[John Funk]

Can you share a screen print like I have? And also one with the card itself that shows the Fix Version field and the Status?

[Betty Fleming]

[John Funk]

Tagging Atlassian on this to see if they can explain better.