Jira bulk update from csv fail with error "Issue type is a sub-task but parent issue key or id not specified"

Question

I am trying to do bulk-update for issues that are already in Jira. Example: The record I am trying to update has this data:

Issue Type	Summary	Key	Component/s
Requirement	ShortText	MYPROJ-1001	test

I am trying to update the label with a csv that has:

Key	Summary	Component/s
MYPROJ-1001	ShortText	NewTest

Whatever I try (in term of mapping columns to fields) I get this error on validation: "Issue type is a sub-task but parent issue key or id not specified".

I tried mapping "Issue Key" to "Issue id"; or to just leave it to "Don't map this field" and hope Jira import will figure it out; leave all columns at "don't map this field"; map the fields but not check the box to "map field value".

Nothing works. Always the same error.

I even tried mapping Key to "parent ID" which created an interesting warning + error, contradicting each other:

• A warning: "Issue 'ShortText' doesn't have Subtask Issue Type, its Parent Id mapping will be ignored."
• An error: "Issue can't be created due to the error/s [ Issue type is a sub-task but parent issue key or id not specified."

Any suggestions?

I am using a Jira Data center and Server 8.2.

Michael

Answer 1

It turns out that you must also have an Issue Type column in the input file, even if you don't plan on updating it (just like you have to have the Summary column). Otherwise Jira decides that it must be a Sub Type you are trying to update, with the resulting complaint that the Parent ID is missing.

The reason I did not see "Issue Key" as an option is that at least on our deployment (Data Center / Server 8.20), this field only appears for people with product admin level (project admin level is not enough). If you do have that authorization level, then you can indeed update the records by an import from Excel.