If you clone an epic in Jira with epic clone a screen will be displayed where you can make your configuration of the cloned epic and issues. On this page it is explained what you can do on this screen. Let's assume we want to clone this epic with epic clone:

It contains 4 issues in epic, has 2 sub-tasks, one linked issue, one attachment and a value for original estimate. If you now select More → Clone Epic Template you will get the epic clone configuration screen which will be explained in the following.

To Project: Select the target project for your clone. You will only see projects in the select list you have access to and which have the epic issue type configured.

Summary: Set the summary for the cloned epic. The summary of the source epic is displayed by default.

Epic Name: Set the epic name field for the cloned epic. The epic name of the source epic is displayed by default.

In Description: Find & Replace functionality for description field. This is especially useful if you have placeholders in your source/template epic description. Then just insert the placeholder in find and the desired value in the target epic in replace and the description in the cloned epic will be set accordingly.

Component/s: Set the component/s field in your cloned epic. The field value of the source epic is displayed by default if a component is set. The select list will show all available components in the target project (see project field on top).

Optionally, you can choose to set the selected component(s) in all cloned issues. If this checkbox isn’t checked the components field value will be copied from source to target issues.

Fix Version/s: Set the fix version/s field in your cloned epic. The fix version/s value of the source epic is displayed by default if a version is set. Please note that the fix version(s) you select here will be set also in all issues in epic. The select list will show all available versions in the target project (see project field on top).

Security Level: Set the security level in your cloned epic. Please note that the security level you select here will be set also in all issues in epic. The select list will show all available security levels in the target project (see project field on top). To set the issue security during cloning you need the respective set issue security permission in the target project. If you don’t have this permission, the cloning will fail.

Original Estimate: Set the original estimate for the cloned epic. The estimation value of the source epic is displayed by default if it has a value set.

Assignee: Select the assignee for the cloned epic. Only users with assignable user permission in target project can be selected here. Type in at least 3 characters to search for assignable users in the target project.

Optionally, you can choose to set the selected user as assignee for all cloned issues.

Due Date: Set the due date for the cloned epic.

Clone Attachments: Check this if you want the attachments of the epic to be cloned as well.

Clone Links: Check this if you want to clone the issue links of the epic. If checked the cloned Epic will be linked to the same issues than the source Epic.

Add Labels: Add one or several labels to the issue. Labels in this field need to be separated by comma (“,”). Spaces can’t be inserted. Existing labels will remain and cloned as well. The additional labels added on the clone screen will be set on all cloned issues.


If you click on next you will get to the second page where you can configure the issues in epic. Required fields in the target project will be validated on this step. If for example the due date is required (as you see on the screenshot), you can’t continue without setting a value for the due date field.

Issues in Epic

All issues in epic are listed on this screen. The issue type icon, key and summary are displayed. With the checkbox in front of the different issues you can decide whether they shall be cloned or not. Furthermore, some additional information can be set here:

Original Estimate: Set the original estimate for the different issues in epic which will be cloned. The estimation value of the source issue is displayed by default if it has a value set.

Due Date: Set the due date for the different issues in epic which will be cloned.

Assignee: Select the assignee for the different issues in epic which will be cloned. Only users with assignable user permission in target project can be selected here.

If you selected on the previous screen that the epic assignee should be assigned to all issues, you won’t be able to select an assignee for issues in epic here.

Story Points: Set story points for stories in epic. This field will be only visible for story issue type and if we can find the story points custom field in your Jira instance (not working if the field has been renamed in your instance).

Sub-Tasks

If the epic has sub-tasks they will be displayed in a list below the issues in epic section with issue type icon, key and summary. Similar to the issues in epic you can choose via the checkbox if they shall be cloned as well or not. If the checkbox is checked they will be cloned as sub-tasks in the target epic.

Linked Issues

If the epic has issues linked to it, they will be displayed in a list below the sub-tasks section. As for issues in epic and sub-tasks you can also decide for linked issues if they shall be cloned or not. Please note that if the checkbox is checked those issues will be cloned and the cloned issue will be linked to the target epic.

Summary Pre- and Postfix

For the summary of the issues in epic, sub-tasks or linked issues, you can optionally set a pre- or postfix in the two fields on the right side. If you insert something there, the pre- or postfix will be shown immediately before or after the issues summaries on the left side, respectively.

If you finished your settings, just press the "Start Clone" button to start the cloning process.

Please note that regardless if the issues in epic or linked issues are located in different projects or not in the same project than the source epic, all issues will be cloned to the project selected in the "to project" field (= target project).


If the cloning is finished the results are displayed and you can go to the newly created epic or issues by clicking on the respective links.