The basic configuration of the Custom Epic Panel is carried out in this overview. The figure shows the state after installing the app with the following elements:

1. Blue button "Create new configuration" - Creates new "configurations".
2. Blue info box: Makes it clear that no "configuration" has yet been created. As soon as a "configuration" has been created, this info box disappears.
3. Table showing existing "configurations".

Basically, any number of configurations can be created. To create a new configuration, please click on the blue button "Create new configuration".

The "Create new configuration" dialog opens, in which six mandatory fields must be completed:

1. Panel name
2. JQL
3. boards
4. Link Type
5. Link Direction
6. Backlog name

The following optional field is also available:

• Supports multiple links

The operation of all fields in this order is described below.

Panel Name

The standard name "EPICS" of the panel can be changed here. "FEATURES" was saved as an example in the figure. The before and after comparison in the table shows the effect. In other places, the desired name is also displayed, so that there is no confusion for the user and consistency is maintained.

JQL

The filter that is ultimately responsible for displaying the issues in the Epic Panel is stored in this field. All JQL queries (including extended queries by Scriptrunner or Power Scripts) can be used with the usual autocompletion.

Boards

Desired boards that should apply to the respective configuration can be selected here.

Link Type

Issues that are dragged from the backlog view of an agile board to issues of the Epic Panel will also be automatically linked.

The link type to be set can be defined under Link Type. New link types can always be created in Jira using the following path:

Jira Administration → Issues → Issue Linking

Link Direction

Based on the previous step (setting the link type) the link direction must be selected.

The desired direction is best viewed in the "Issue Linking" overview (path: Jira Administration → Issues → Issue Linking).

The following is an example overview with the "Blocks" link type:

Example:

Parameter

• Link Type: Blocks
• Link Direction: Inward

Issue B is now dragged from the backlog to Issue A in the Epic Panel. The following links are set:

Backlog Name

With this field it is possible to change the name of the backlog. This is particularly useful if the first status of the issues is not Backlog, but e.g. Funnel, Inbox or To Do. Thus the name can be adapted to the first status of the workflow (see before / after table).

This also works in Kanban boards. To do this, the "Epic Panel" option must be activated under Columns in the Kanban board configuration so that the backlog view is displayed.

Supports multiple Links

If this field is deactivated, it corresponds to the standard behavior of the Epic Panel, i.e. Backlog issues can only be linked to an Epic Panel issue with the link type defined above via the Custom Epic Panel. The link is identified by colored labels to the right of the issues (see figure in the table column Deactivated).

If the link is created elsewhere (e.g. in the issue itself), it may be that although "Supports multiple links" is deactivated, there are still several links. In this case, the last link is used in the backlog view and displayed as a label.

If the field is activated, the restrictions described above do not exist and issues from the backlog can be linked to issues in the Epic Panel as often as required. The display of the labels changes, as can be seen in the table column "Activated".

Once the "Create new configuration" dialog has been completed and created, the configuration is shown in the table with the following information:

• ID (ascending configuration ID)
• Panel Name
• JQL
• Boards
• Link Type
• Actions (edit / delete)

Each configuration created can be edited (pen) or deleted (bin).