How to identify the Predecessors and successor in the import excel file?

[Narges Balouchestani Asli]

Hello, 

I am importing tasks and epics from my excel file that is an export from Microsoft project. I want to know how to reference predecessors and successor in my column when I don't know the issue IDs yet? In other words what are the best practices to import information such as predecessors and successor?

Thank you

[Fazila Ashraf]

Hi @Narges Balouchestani Asli

By Predecessors and successors do you mean the parent task- subtask relationship between the issues?

If yes, refer to https://confluence.atlassian.com/adminjiracloud/importing-data-from-csv-776636762.html on creating sub-tasks.

You will have to add two extra columns "issue id" and "parent id". Give your own unique value in 'issue id' (not the actual issue ids to be created).  For the subtask row, make sure that the 'parent id' value is the 'issue id' value of the parent task.

[Narges Balouchestani Asli]

@Fazila Ashraf Thank you so much for your reply. Here is what I mean by predecessors:

I want to specify that certain tasks must be done after or before another task. This specified by dependencies in Microsoft project and  based on documentation we should be able to create the same relationship with Portfolio Plug in. I just don't know how to import this information form excel. 

For example the linked issue field should be "Has to be done before" but I am not sure how to specify which issue id when the ID is not created yet. So when importing the excel what should I map the issue ID to?

Thank you for your time and fast reply, really appreciate it. 

[Fazila Ashraf]

Ok. So the predecessors and successors are actually linked issue of type "Has to be done before".

That will be very similar to the import of parent-subtask. Refer to the instruction here => https://confluence.atlassian.com/jirakb/how-to-import-issue-links-from-a-csv-file-740262715.html

And i think you are bit confused with the value of 'issue id' given in the documentations. Issue id is not (though can be) the Jira ticket number that will be created. It is just a sequential unique number in the column 'issue id' for the csv process to identify this particular issue. Nothing more..

Hope that clarifies!

[Narges Balouchestani Asli]

@Fazila Ashraf: Thank you Fazila, you are right I was quite confused about the issue id and it is now resolved. Last question for you:

 For stories under each epic, should I use the sub-task relationship for import or should I have a column for epic link and if yes should I just type in the name of the epic or should I have a issue id for it?

I really appreciate your time and your answers, many thanks.

[Fazila Ashraf]

To import Epic-Story relationship, do not use the 'issue id' column but use the 'Epic link' column and 'Epic name' column.

Give a unique name to the epic in the 'epic name' column and use that in the 'epic link' of the story to link it to the epic.

[Narges Balouchestani Asli]

@Fazila Ashraf many thanks. 

[Fazila Ashraf]

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