I need help creating a Jira report that shows linked issues grouped in a specific way. What I want is to display all connected issues with type “bug” under their parent Feature/Tasks.
I’ve managed to write a query that finds these issues:
issueFunction in linkedIssuesOf("'Feature Link' in (DEF-5678, DEF-5679, DEF-5680, DEF-5681)") and type="bug"
However, I’m running into two main problems with this approach:
The query results and Excel export don’t show details about the parent issues (like the Task or Feature information)
I can’t figure out how to group the results by their linked parent issues in the report
Is there a way to solve this grouping issue? I have access to the ScriptRunner Advanced Search plugin on our Jira instance if that helps with the solution.
You’re hitting Jira’s classic reporting limitation - it can’t handle linked issue hierarchies. ScriptRunner won’t help either since you’re still stuck with Jira’s flat output.
I ditched Jira’s built-in reporting entirely for this exact problem. Now I pull data through API calls and build the hierarchy myself.
Here’s how: query each parent Feature/Task individually, grab their linked bugs, then structure everything into proper parent-child groups. Format it however you want - Excel, CSV, or push it somewhere else.
You get complete control over the data structure. No more fighting column configurations or hacking ScriptRunner to do something Jira wasn’t built for.
I use Latenode since it handles API calls and data transformation visually. You can see exactly how data flows from Jira queries to your final grouped report. It runs automatically too, so reports stay current without manual work.
Stop trying to force Jira’s native tools to do hierarchical reporting. The solution becomes much cleaner.
Jira just doesn’t show parent-child relationships in search results - that’s your problem right there. Your query finds the linked bugs fine, but Jira won’t include parent details in what it spits out.
Here’s what I do: modify the issue view before exporting. Add custom columns for parent fields like ‘Epic Link’ or create calculated fields through admin settings to pull parent summaries. Takes some setup work, but you’ll get parent context in your exports.
Better option: use Jira’s REST API with a simple script. Query each parent issue separately, grab its linked bugs, then format everything into the hierarchy you want. About an hour of work, but you get exactly the grouping you need.
Stop fighting Jira’s flat structure - just reshape your data after you pull it out. Way more reliable than trying to force the native reporting to do something it wasn’t built for.
Jira’s native reporting falls apart when you need to show relationships between linked issues. I’ve hit this wall countless times.
The problem? Jira queries return flat results. Even ScriptRunner won’t save you - you’re fighting the system’s core design to get proper hierarchical grouping.
Better solution: pull the data out and reshape it yourself. I build automated workflows that grab issue data through Jira’s API, map relationships, and create the reports I actually need.
For your situation:
Grab parent Feature/Task details
Pull linked bugs for each parent
Group everything hierarchically
Export however you want
You get complete control over grouping and formatting. Set it to run automatically and your reports stay fresh without touching them.
I use Latenode for this data reshaping - handles API calls and transformations without the headaches. Build the whole flow visually and you’re done.
Honestly, Structure app is perfect for this if you’ve got the budget. It creates proper hierarchies that regular Jira can’t handle. If not, try the “parent” field in your search - parent in (DEF-5678, DEF-5679) AND type=bug works better for grouping exports.
ScriptRunner’s JQL functions can help, just not how you’d expect. Don’t try forcing native Jira reporting to handle grouping - create separate queries for each parent issue and combine the results.
I’ve had success using ScriptRunner’s issueFunction in subtasksOf() or issueFunction in linkedIssuesOf() with individual parent keys, then exporting each batch separately. You can tweak your column config to include custom fields that pull parent issue data through ScriptRunner’s field configurations.
Another thing that worked for me: custom dashboard with multiple gadgets - one filter per parent Feature/Task showing only its linked bugs. Not pretty, but stakeholders get the grouped view they want without fighting Jira’s limits.
Here’s the thing - Jira forces you to think in individual issue queries, not relational reporting. Accept that constraint and workarounds become way clearer.