I want to filter the backlog so that I can only see issues from Epics that have been started?

[Stefan Meier]

Or Alternatively: how can I exclude issues from epics that are still “to do” and not yet “doing”?

[Jack Brickey · Accepted solution]

Option 1 - Define a Quick filter for this under Board settings > quick filters

Option 2 - define the overall board filter to exclude to do epics

[Stefan Meier]

So how can I evaluate epic link statuses with JQL?

[Jack Brickey]

@Stefan Meier, i think I need to reset here. In looking at your question again I’m not sure what you are wanting to see in the backlog. The backlog should only show issues that have not started. The exception is if you move something into a sprint and do not complete it during the sprint.

your title question speaks to “epics that have not started” but maybe I’m reading this wrong.

[Stefan Meier]

i dont want to see issues from Epics that haven’t started. How can I do this?

[Jack Brickey]

So I think I get what you are saying. It seems your process is that you create Epics with issues and when until you are ready to move the epic effort forward you leave it and all associated issues in To Do. So until the Epic moves to In Progress you want to hide all of the associated issues from your board. Assuming this is correct, here are my suggestions/input.

• you can’t determine ‘parent status’ via JQL natively. I believe Scriptrunner provides this function
• you could use various means of tagging issues under a “To Do” epic such that you could exclude from the board, e.g. labels, custom field or even another status. For example, you could add a “on-hold” label to all issues where the epic is “to do” then exclude all issues from your board that has that label. Of course you would need to remove those labels once the epic is moved to “in progress”. This could be automated but again you would need an addon for that. Possibly a better approach would be a new status. Further, I would create a second board to allow you to more readily view/transition the “on-hold” issues. Your boards then might look like this: on-hold board: to do > approved and your approved board: approved > in progress > done.

i hope this makes sense. There certainly may be better ways to achieve your goal but that is what comes to mind.

[Stefan Meier]

Actually I decided that I am fine with filtering only the epics that haven’t started yet, so that I can’t see them in the backlog. This way I also don’t see the issues that belong to these epics as long as I don’t click on all issues. 😊