Initiative and Epic Linking

Owned by Chad Girard (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jan 18, 2022
3 min read

Some users of Allstacks want to see work at a higher level than Jira epics typically provide. To accomodate, Allstacks can read additional linkings when they are configured correctly in Jira. This page will take you through the process of creating the “Initiative” issue type and configuration so that you can use Initiatives in the Allstacks Milestone and Portfolio reports.

Creating and Enabling the Initiative Issue Type

Jira Company-Managed Projects:

Navigate to Project settings > Issue types > Actions > Edit issue types

  • If “Initiative” exists under “Issue Types of Current Scheme” move on to Create a Custom Issue Link

  • If “Initiative” exists under “Available Issue Types” drag it to “Issue Types for Current Scheme” and move on to Create a Custom Issue Link

  • If 'Initiative” is not available, select “Add issue type” under the “Actions” menu in the top right.

    • Enter the name “Initiative”

    • Enter a description (optional)

    • Type should be “Standard Issue Type”

    • Select “Add”

    • Move on to Create a Customer Issue Link

 

Jira Team-Managed Projects:

Navigate to Project settings > Issue types > Add issue type

  • For the Name field, enter “Initiative”

  • Enter a description (optional)

  • Select a default icon

  • Select “Create”

 

Create a Custom Issue Link

Using a custom link type in Jira, containing the words “is parent” and “is child” allows Allstacks to accommodate relationships not typically encapsulated in Jira’s standard workflow. Namely housing epics under other epics or initiatives. This will enable the portfolio report and milestone report to appropriately “roll-up” the items contained within epics into a higher level “parent” epic or initiative.

In Jira:

  • Click the icon in the top left of the page:

  • Navigate to Jira settings > Issues > Issue Features > Issue linking

  • Under “Add New Link Type” input the following:

    • Name: Must contain “parent” or “child”

    • Outward Link Description: “is parent of”

    • Inward Link Description: “is child of”



Linking Issues in Jira

Within the epic or initiative you want to link:

Select “Link issue” and use the newly created “is child of” or “is parent of” selection to connect your related epics.