Constraints in using a Custom Issue Type

[Terri Yeago]

Please advise on the ability to change Jira so that Features is a child of Epic to support implementation of SAFe.  What would be the impact to users of Jira if this change is made?

It would be:  Features to be a child of Epic, and Story to be a child of Feature, giving us: Initiative>Epic>Feature>Story>Sub-task.

What would the constraints be? 

[Rudy Holtkamp · Accepted solution]

Hi @Terri Yeago ,

Jira out of the box has three levels: Epics, issues (stories, features, tasks, etc) and sub-tasks

With Advanced Roadmaps (formerly known as Jira Portfolio) you are able to scale the hierarchy to as many levels as you like, with the exception that you can only create levels above Epic.

See also https://confluence.atlassian.com/advancedroadmapsserver/configuring-initiatives-and-other-hierarchy-levels-802170489.html

Epic is also a special issuetype. I can make many issue-types like stories, tasks, features, meetings, technical issue, defect, etc) I can not make more issue types that behave like Epics. 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

You can't do this in Jira.  It's always Epic, Story, Sub-task.

There are some apps that can emulate it, most notably Structure, but they don't give it a true hierarchy. 

Portfolio can add Initiatives and Themes, above and across Epics as well.

[Rajesh Viswanathan]

Thanks for the points @Nic Brough -Adaptavist-