Guide to Cloning Issues in Jira Software

Jira Software, developed by Atlassian, offers a feature known as “cloning” to duplicate issues, streamlining workflows and maintaining uniformity across tasks. This guide delves into the steps of cloning issues in Jira, providing a detailed walkthrough to enhance your project management processes.

For a visual walkthrough of cloning issues in Jira, you might find this tutorial helpful:

Step-by-Step Process to Clone an Issue

To effectively clone an issue in Jira, follow these detailed steps:

1. Access the Desired Issue:

   • Navigate to the specific issue you intend to clone.

2. Initiate the Cloning Process:

   • Click on the “More” (•••) button located in the top-right corner of the issue view.
   • From the dropdown menu, select “Clone”

 

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2. Configure Clone Settings:

   • Summary: Modify the summary to reflect the new issue’s context. By default, Jira adds a “Clone” prefix to the summary.
   • Assignee and Reporter: Adjust these fields if the cloned issue requires different personnel.
   • Additional Options: Choose to include attachments, links, comments, and sprint values as necessary.

3. Finalize the Cloning:

   • After configuring the desired settings, click “Clone” to generate the cloned issue.

 

Considerations When Cloning Issues

While cloning is a powerful feature, it’s essential to be aware of certain nuances:

• Issue Links: The cloned issue will have a link to the original, but this relationship can be removed if not needed.
• Subtasks: Subtasks are not automatically cloned. To duplicate them, each must be cloned individually or recreated under the new issue.
• Attachments and Comments: These are not included in the clone by default. Ensure to select these options during the cloning process if they are required.
• Custom Fields: Not all custom fields may be cloned, depending on their configuration. Verify the cloned issue to ensure all necessary information is retained.

Advanced Cloning: Duplicating Issues Across Projects

Jira’s standard cloning functionality is limited to the same project. To duplicate an issue across different projects, consider the following approaches:

Manual Method: Move and Clone

1. Clone the Issue:

   • Follow the standard cloning process within the original project.

2. Move the Cloned Issue:

   • Open the cloned issue.
   • Select “More” (•••) > “Move”.
   • Choose the target project and adjust any necessary fields.

Automated Method: Utilizing Third-Party Apps

For enhanced functionality, third-party apps like “Deep Clone for Jira” can facilitate cloning across projects, including bulk operations and preserving complex issue structures.

Automating the Cloning Process

To further streamline workflows, consider setting up automation rules:

• Automation Tools: Jira’s native automation features or add-ons can automate the cloning process based on specific triggers, such as issue creation or status changes.
• Templates: Create template issues for recurring tasks. When needed, clone these templates to ensure consistency and save time.

Conclusion

Mastering the cloning feature in Jira enhances project management efficiency, ensuring tasks are replicated accurately and consistently. By understanding and utilizing both basic and advanced cloning techniques, teams can optimize their workflows, reduce redundancy, and maintain high standards of accuracy across projects.

Also check out our article on how to create a fix version in Jira.