Task with Subtasks - Is there a better way?

[Erik K. Schindeldecker]

For more complex tasks, we are defining subtasks to assign across the team. The owner of my company is becoming really frustrated though with the amount of time and steps necessary for each member to estimate their subtasks. The current process they are using is cloning the task, deleting any subtasks not assigned to them, estimating their subtasks, copying that information back over to the original task, and then deleting the cloned subtask. Additionally, is there a recommended way for each member to track their subtask progress (To-Do, Impediment, Done) versus having to track everything at the task level?

Here is some additional detail I received from the DEV team:

"The issue is not being able to assign more than 1 person per story, along with their estimate, so we have to create sub tasks to do so. Then during sprint planning, because the backlog doesn’t show subtasks, you can’t see which stories are assigned or not and can’t see how many hours each person is assigned up for in a sprint (so we don’t over commit)."

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Question:  You say "The current process they are using is cloning the task, deleting any subtasks not assigned to them, estimating their subtasks, copying that information back over to the original task, and then deleting the cloned subtask".  Why are you doing that?  Why not just put the information on the original task?

[Jillian Amyot _Unito_]

Hi @Erik K. Schindeldecker , if I'm understanding correctly you should be able to use Unito. It will allow tasks go from "To Do, In Process, Done" and sent off to others when they are ready so you can avoid a bunch of copy-pasting. Here's a link that might help: https://unito.io/jira-sync/

[Ravi Sagar _Sparxsys_]

Hi @Erik K. Schindeldecker 

There different ways of working with multiple people and estimating.

• If people are working on a bigger task together then create individual sub-task where people can log their own work.
• If task is passed through multiple people even then they can log their own time.
• You can also create subtask automatically using Jira Automation.
• You can also import issues in bulk from csv to save time.

If several members are working then it seems like they should work on their own task.

Ravi