Create template with Issues, Links, and Assignments in tact

[Jeri Simpson]

I need to create a template and maintain all of the structural elements like linked tasks, priorities, sort rank, and assignments.

[Luka Hummel - codefortynine]

Hi @Jeri Simpson

If you are willing to use a third-party app, you can try our Deep Clone for Jira app. Deep Clone can clone whole template issue hierarchies or even template projects while keeping all the relations between different issues in the clone (and if needed to projects not being cloned) intact.

My colleague @Marlene Kegel - codefortynine even wrote an excellent community article about the use case.

[Wolfgang -Litew8 GmbH-]

Hello @Jeri Simpson

while the Jira native solution 'Create project with shared configuration' is a great built in tool. It does not cover anything except the basic project configuration and since you are to keep project content in tact you would have to go for addon solutions.

maintain all of the structural elements

Maintaining all the structural elements, project content alongside project configuration is the challenge we set out to by building Project Templates for Jira.

With our latest release our app Project Templates for Jira now also supports keeping Issue hierarchy of cloned issues intact. Go check out all the settings we already support.

Cloning components, versions, project role assignment, basic board creation, cloning issues with hierarchy, predefining issues with hierarchy... Please let our support now if something crucial is missing for you.

The process is simple, you create a custom project template based on an existing project or native Jira template. And then you customize the template to your needs and even specify project create permission for each template.

[John Funk]

Hi Jeri - Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

Can you provide some more details of what you are trying to do? What are the issue types? Are you needing it to create additional linked issues? Or just link to the same issues that the "template" issue is linked to? 

[Jeri Simpson]

I have a series of issues (tasks and subtasks) that belong to a project. Some issues are blocked by or block other tasks. They're also generally assigned to the same people each time. 

I would like to have a template of the project with the issues always the same, so that it automatically triggers the next step. Then I'd just have to change the name and key of the project with the identifying details.

[John Funk]

You lost me at this part "I would like to have a template of the project with the issues always the same, so that it automatically triggers the next step." 

Can you tell me more about what that means? Maybe an exact example? 

[Jeri Simpson]

Say we have a similar series of tasks to perform for a new product we're adding to our store. These tasks are always assigned to the same people accordingly for each project (graphic designer does A, B, C, then I handle D, E, after which ecomm specialist does F, G). Some of these tasks are triggered by others specifically so I can't do D until C is complete but A, B, and C can all be done concurrently.

In the initial project, I have them all set as blocked or blocked by respectively and assigned to the correct parties. So every time we're working on a new product, I want to be able to add a clone of the "new product" project. Then I'll go in and change the title and key to be specific to this exact project.

[John Funk]

Gotcha - You should be able to create some automation rules to create all of the issues up front and even do the links for Blocked by, etc. 

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Jeri Simpson 

Welcome to the community.

It sounds like you are trying to create a "template" for a set of issues. Is that correct?

How do you want to use that template?

It is definitely possible to create a "template" of issues as a CSV file for creating issues through CSV import and cover all the elements you mention except sort rank if you mean maintain the sort order based on Rank. I don't know if there is a way to specify the Rank of an issue during a CSV import.

There are third party apps that support cloning issues. I'm not sure if they maintain Rank or not. You would need to check their documentation and/or try them out to see what happens.

https://marketplace.atlassian.com/search?hosting=cloud&product=jira&query=clone

[Trudy Claspill]

Hello @Jeri Simpson 

Looking at the answers you have provided to others' responses I offer this suggestion.

You can:

1. Use a CSV export from the Advanced Issue Search to export the current issue set from your "template" project. If you don't make changes to the template issues then you don't necessarily need to re-export it.

2. Make some changes to the data to update information about which issues are linked to which.

3. Make a new project for your new product. If you are working with Company Managed projects you can use the Share Configuration Settings option to have your new project use the same fields, screens, workflows, etc. that are used by your template project. This is available only for Company Managed projects.

4. Use the Jira Administration > System > External System Import > CSV functionality to import your CSV into a new project.

I used this methodology myself often a little over a year ago. It leverages native functionality - no third party apps required.

[Ash Yadav]

Hi @Jeri Simpson welcome to the Atlassian Community! 

Would creating a project using a shared configuration work for you here? 

https://support.atlassian.com/jira-software-cloud/docs/create-a-new-project/

It should meet all your requirements bar the linked tasks, you'll need to elaborate more on that please. 

Creating custom project templates isn't an option in Cloud iirc.

KR, 

Ash 

[Jeri Simpson]

I have a series of issues (tasks and subtasks) that belong to a project. Some issues are blocked by or block other tasks. They're also generally assigned to the same people each time. 

I would like to have a template of the project with the issues always the same, so that it automatically triggers the next step. Then I'd just have to change the name and key of the project with the identifying details.