Once an Epic status is "Done" what's the best method to archive the work?

[Alex Saunders]

As we move through Epics across projects we'd like to retain the work to review over time and incorporate lessons learned.  

Rather than just delete those completed Epics what is a recommended method to archive an Epic and ultimately a project as a whole...?

[Alex Saunders · Accepted solution]

I got some help and have enabled the Epics panel where you can "Mark as done" and that seems to have more impact than just changing the status...I need to check that.

Also by altering "View settings" in Timeline to "Hide all completed Epics"

With these two settings changed the Epics are still searchable (as opposed to deleted) but don't appear on my Kanban or Timeline.

Thanks for asking @Trudy Claspill

[Trudy Claspill · Accepted solution]

Hello @Alex Saunders 

What exactly do you mean by "archive"?

Do you want the items to not be editable?

Do you want the items to still appear in filter results?

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Alex Saunders 

Using the Mark As Done option will hide the Epic from the Epics Panel while still keeping it editable and searchable. "Mark as Done" sets a secondary status field that is only in Epics called "Epic Status". Unfortunately this field doesn't show in the issue details, and there is no "Mark as Not Done" option in the UI if you erroneously set the field.

What I have typically done is had a custom workflow for Epics that will change the "Epic Status" field with each normal Status change so that Status and Epic Status remain in synch, and I also don't have to manually use the Mark As Done option.

Note also that the Epic Panel will soon be changed to display Epics based on the normal Status field rather than the "Epic Status" field. See this article for more information.

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-Software-articles/Upcoming-The-backlog-epic-panel-will-soon-use-epics-Issue-status/ba-p/2373807

[Alex Saunders]

Hi @Trudy Claspill, custom workflows are a level of sophistication I haven't developed but this may make the difference 

Thanks !