In a Jira scrum space, open the Backlog, turn on the epic panel from the epic filter dropdown and select + Create epic. You can also select Create in the top navigation bar and change the work type to epic. Then add work items by dragging them onto the epic or setting their Parent field.
An epic is the default work type for capturing a large body of work in a release. In plain terms, it's a big user story that breaks down into smaller ones, and it's almost always delivered over several sprints. Scope changing inside an epic is normal in agile work, so don't worry about getting every item right on day one. The steps below are for scrum spaces; kanban spaces work differently.
Creating one from the backlog
1. Open the Backlog
Go to the Backlog of your scrum space. The epic panel lives here.
2. Turn on the epic panel
Open the epic filter dropdown and use the toggle to show the epic panel. You'll see any existing epics and the option to create a new one.
3. Select + Create epic
Select + Create epic and give it a name that describes the outcome, such as Website relaunch or Client onboarding portal.
4. Add the details
Expand the epic with the chevron and select View details to add a description or change its colour. The details are edited in the epic's own work item.
5. Put work items inside it
Drag existing work items onto the epic in the panel, or expand the epic and select Create work item to add a new one. Either way, the epic becomes their parent. You'll need the Edit work items permission to do this.
6. Filter the backlog by epic
Select the epic in the panel to show only its work items. Deselect it to clear the filter.
The quicker route from anywhere
If you're not on the backlog, select Create in the top navigation bar and change the work type to the one your space uses for larger work, which is epic by default in software spaces. You can also add a work item to an epic at any time by setting its Parent field.
Moving work in and out
To take a work item out of an epic, drag it onto the No epic section in the panel, or clear the Parent field with the x on the parent lozenge. An epic can span more than one space, as long as those spaces are included in the board where the epic was created.
Epic is only the default name. You can rename the work type and it works exactly the same, which helps if your team prefers a word like Theme or Workstream.
Finding an epic's work with JQL
To pull every work item in an epic into a filter, use the parent field in JQL. Older filters that use Epic Link still work, but Atlassian says to use parent for new filters, so it's worth updating saved searches when you next touch them.
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Done on an epic doesn't close the work
This one causes real confusion in reports. Atlassian Support explains that marking an epic Done sets its Epic Status field to Done, but doesn't change its workflow or its Status field, and none of its work items are affected. So an epic can look finished in the panel while still holding open tasks underneath. Before you mark one Done, filter the backlog by that epic and check nothing's left open.
How Linear structures big work
Linear's docs describe initiatives as a workspace-level view for planning across several projects and long timelines, and project milestones for breaking a single project into stages. If you're weighing frameworks as well as tools, this guide to Scrum versus SAFe explains how each treats large pieces of work, and here's my list of other project trackers to compare.
My advice for your first epics
Create one epic per outcome a client or manager would recognise, not one per department. Keep the names short, give each a colour, and add work items as you go rather than all at once. Use parent in your filters, and always check an epic's work items before you mark it Done, because Done on the epic won't do it for you.
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Frequently asked questions
Where do I create an epic in Jira?
In the backlog's epic panel with + Create epic, or with Create in the top navigation bar after switching the work type to epic.
Can I rename epics?
Yes. Epic is the default name and the functionality stays the same.
How do I put a task into an epic?
Drag it onto the epic in the panel, or set its Parent field.
How do I find all work items in an epic?
Use the parent field in JQL; Epic Link filters still work but parent is recommended.
Does marking an epic done close its tasks?
No. None of its work items are affected.
