Jira Epics step-by-step
This tutorial explains how to use epics in agile software development with Jira Software. It will focus on epics in projects executed by companies and teams.
When should I create an epic?
Consider creating an epic when you have a large amount of work that needs to be completed in multiple sprints or over a long period of time. You can also create an epic if you see a pattern across multiple user stories and want to group them into a group. See our guideEpicfor more information about examples and templates.
If you are using a team-managed project, click here.
Tempo:
10 minutes of reading. Complete more than 2 weeks or more
Public:
You are new to agile software development or Jira Software
Precondition:
You've created a Jira Software account and a Jira Software project (Scrum or Kanban).
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Work with epics on company-led projects
Step 1: Create a New Epic in Jira Software
There are three ways to create epics in Jira Software: the Roadmap button, the Backlog button, and the Create Global Issue button. When creating an epic, you must enter the following details:
- epic name- A short identifier for your epic. This will be used as a tag for issues that belong in this epic.
- epic summary- You'll see this every time Jira shows the epic.
Create an epic in the script
HecalendarIt is useful for viewing and planning large jobs that are in progress or that may be prioritized in the future.
First activate the script.
- Choose on your boardadvance(•••)in the upper right corner >board settings
- Militarycalendaractivate the function for your project.
- then selectcalendarno menu on the left.
- pressure +create epicabout itcalendar. And youcalendaris empty, just start typing to create your first epic.
professional advice: You can also create a new epic driving between the epics in the script.Learn more about roadmaps in Jira Software.
Create an epic from a new problem
You can create epics and other problem types from the global navigation menu.
- tightento createButton on the global navigation bar at the top of the screen.
- To chooseEpicfor the type of problem.
Create an epic from the epic dashboard in the backlog
- navigate toResidue.
- click on itperiod panel.
- blowcreate epic.
Step 2: Add stories or children's themes
After creating an epic, you need to add stories or subthemes to it.
What is the difference between epics and other types of problems?
Stories, Bugs, and Tasks describe a single job, while Epics are used to describe a group of issues, all related to the same larger scope of work. Epics are usually completed in multiple sprints or over an extended period of time if you don't. Do not use sprints. see our tourDelivery vehicle guideto learn how agile teams gracefully manage the volume and structure of work. You can also check theHow to work with issues in Jira Software.
There are two ways to add a story to an epic:
On the problem creation screen
- give a clickProductionin the upper left corner. Select a non-epic issue type. find itepic linkfield and select your epic. Fill in all other details and clickTo create.
From the Epen panel
-
navigate toResidue.
-
open thisperiod panel.
-
blowCreate issue in Epic.
on the agenda
- Hover over an epic and click on it+ Add a minor issue.
- Select an issue type and press Enter.
How to remove an issue from an epic
Navigate to one of the twoResidueoactive sprints:
-
MilitaryResidue, drag the problem to theEditions without Epicssection at the bottom ofEpicmesa; o
-
want notResidueor theactive sprints, click on the relevant issue to display it on the right side of the screen, then clickxin the epic name (e.g. "apples" inscreenshot 1low).
Step 3 - View your epics
You can view information about all your epics in the backlog.
-
period panel:OrResidueand open theperiod panelto view and manage your epics.
-
Epic list:Heperiod paneldisplays a list of all epics in your project.
-
Show Non-Epic Issues:Click an epic name to see all issues related to that epic across all sprints.
You can also preview an epic issue to see a list of the stories it contains.
Step 4 – Set up lanes for your epics on your board
During a sprint, it can be helpful to divide the board into swimlanes for each epic to help keep the board visually organized.
Here's how to set this up in Jira Software:
-
navigate toResidue(oactivate sprint).
-
To chooseadvance (
)>Trace settings. -
click inswimming lanes.
-
Lowbasic tracks, to chooseEpic.
)>Trace settings.When you start a sprint, your dashboard shows issues grouped into their respective epics.
Step 5: Monitor your epic's progress
You may find it important to keep track of all uncompleted expenses associated with an epic. For example, if you have an epic that spans multiple sprints, it can be helpful to track the remaining workload over time so that you can estimate when the epic will complete.
In Jira Software, you can use theepic reportto get this information easily.
Step 6 - Complete your epic
To complete an epic, navigate to the backlog or roadmap
Residue
- navigate toResidue.
-
open thisperiod panel.
-
Click and select your epic dropdownmark as done.
Use automation with epics
Automation is a great way to ensure your epics, stories, and subtasks stay in sync. Check out one of the most common use cases in Jira's library of automation templates.
go to model
calendar
- navigate tocalendar
- click on itEpic
- In the detailed view, click the status dropdown menu and selectmark as done.
When should I mark an epic as complete?
Mark your epic as complete when all work for the epic is complete. To make this easier, we recommend creating a clear definition of fact for your epic. All stories associated with the epic do not need to be complete for an epic to be marked as completed.
Do you want to know more?
For more detailed information on working with sprints in Jira Software, see ourSprint-Tutorial.
do you have questions?Ask the Atlassian community.
Work with epics in team-led projects
The roadmap is a place to create, manage, and visualize your team's sepics. Roadmaps are useful for planning large work items several months in advance and grouping similar stories across different sprints.
Step 1: Create a New Epic in Jira Software
There are three ways to create epics in Jira Software: via roadmap, backlog, and using the global navigation menu. When creating an epic, you must enter the following details:
- epic name- A short identifier for your epic. This will be used as a tag for issues that belong in this epic.
- epic summary- You'll see this every time Jira shows the epic.
Create epics on script
Epics are created and managed in the roadmap. The roadmap is useful for visualizing and planning major work steps that are in progress or that you may want to prioritize in the future.
- Choose from the project menucalendar.
- Press the + in the first column to create an epic. If your script is empty, you can start writing to create your first epic.
Create an epic from a new problem
The global navigation menu allows you to create epics and any other type of theme from any screen. If you create an epic from the board view, that epic will only appear in your roadmap or backlog.
- tightento createButton on the global navigation bar at the top of the screen.
- To chooseEpicfor the type of problem.
Create an epic from the epic dashboard in the backlog
To use a backlog for kanban, enable your backlog feature in your board settings. To seeEnable Kanban Backlogfor more information
- navigate toResidue.
- click on itperiod panel.
- blowcreate epic.
Step 2: Change the start and due dates
On the roadmap, drag the edges of the epic bar to change the start and due dates. You can also edit this data by clicking on an epic on the waybill or order book. While it's not mandatory to set start and due dates, we recommend that you do so to help with long-term planning.
Step 3: Add Child Issues
You can add new Child Issues to an Epic directly from the roadmap, backlog, or dashboard in Issue Details.
What is the difference between epics and other types of problems?
Stories, Bugs, and Tasks describe a single job, while Epics are used to describe a group of issues, all related to the same larger scope of work. Epics are usually completed in multiple sprints or over an extended period of time if you don't. Do not use sprints. see our tourDelivery vehicle guideto learn how agile teams gracefully manage the volume and structure of work. You can also check theHow to work with issues in Jira Software.
in the script
- Hover over an epic and click on it+ Add a minor issue.
- Click the arrow to select the issue type. Press Enter to create the child Issue.
board and delay
- Navigate to yourboardsoResidueto add numbers to epics
- Hover over an issue and select itforward(•••).
not square
in the order book
In the backlog or issue detail view of the dashboard
professional advice:You can select multiple editions withcommand + clicka mac etcCtrl + clickon Windows and add them all to an epic at once.
Step 4: View the details of an epic
You can view an Epic's details, such as the Start Date, Due Date, and Child Issues, by selecting the Epic from the Roadmap or Backlog.
Step 5: Configure lanes for your epics
During a sprint, you may find it helpful to divide your board into lanes for each epic to easily visualize your progress. To configure this in your team-managed project:
- Navigate to yourboards.
- In the upper right corner, select thegroup byMenu.
- To chooseEpic.
professional advice: You can create problems in an epic route to quickly add a new problem to an epic. This also works if you have an epic selected in your filter.
Step 6 - Complete your epic
After all work for an epic is done, you must mark it as done in the roadmap.
To complete an epic:
- navigate tocalendar.
- Select the epic you want to mark complete.
- Lowstate, to chooseFinished.
When should I mark an epic as complete?
Mark your epic asFinishedwhen all the work on the epic is done. To make it easier, we recommend creating a clear definition of Done when creating your epic. Minor edits do not have to be complete to mark an epic as complete.
To know more
- For more information about the itinerary, visit theRoadmap-Documentation.
- To learn more about configuring your problem types, including epics, visit ourteam-led project documentation.
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kelly drozd
Kelly is a product marketer on the Jira team. He is passionate about continuous improvement and helping teams work better together. Prior to Atlassian, Kelly led agile transformation and adoption efforts across all marketing teams, including expanding Jira and Confluence to over 10 lines of business and hundreds of users. When she's not telling the world about the power of the Atlassian team tools, she can be found doing yoga or walking her dogs in the hills of San Francisco.
FAQs
How do I write a good epic in Jira? ›
- Step 1: Name the epic. Before you can start planning the details of the epic, you need to give it a clear, concise title. ...
- Step 2: Write a narrative explaining the epic. ...
- Step 3: Establish the scope for the epic. ...
- Step 4: Define completion for the epic. ...
- Step 5: Break the epic down into stories.
Stories, also called “user stories,” are short requirements or requests written from the perspective of an end user. Epics are large bodies of work that can be broken down into a number of smaller tasks (called stories).
How do I create an epic in Confluence? ›Creating a new linked Confluence page for an epic
Choose the relevant project and select Backlog. Click EPICS (aligned vertically, left side of the board) to show the 'EPICS' panel. Click Linked pages at the bottom of the epic details in the Epics panel. Click Create page.
- Plot centers around a Hero of Unbelievable Stature. ...
- Involves deeds of superhuman strength and valor. ...
- Vast Setting. ...
- Involves supernatural and-or otherworldly forces. ...
- Sustained elevation of style. ...
- Poet remains objective and omniscient.
Select any Story from Backlog > Click on Show More (in the bottom of the right sidebar) > Click on Epic Link > Select an Epic (from Dropdown List). To Create Story/Task: Click on '+' Sign (Left side) > Change the Issue Type to Story > Add Details (Name, Summary, and Description) > Click on 'Create' button.
What is epic in Jira with example? ›An epic is a large body of work that can be broken down into a number of smaller stories, or sometimes called “Issues” in Jira. Epics often encompass multiple teams, on multiple projects, and can even be tracked on multiple boards. Epics are almost always delivered over a set of sprints.
How do you create an epic in agile? ›...
How To Create an Agile Epic
- Refer to your quarterly goals and OKRs. ...
- Structure the specs. ...
- Involve the whole team. ...
- Set a timeframe. ...
- Select a metric for the epic. ...
- Find a way to visualize progress. ...
- Identify any blockers.
Epics Panel: Go to the Backlog OR Road-map and open the Epics Panel to view and manage your epics. List of epics: The Epics Panel displays a list of all epics in your project. View issues in epic: Click an epic's name to view all the issues belonging to that epic, across all sprints.