Find issues blocking your project

Summary

Imagine your project is already overdue, and the issues scheduled for the next release depend on issues in multiple projects. Finding and managing these issues can be time-consuming and complicated. With JQL Search Extensions for Jira, you can easily identify all issues blocking your project. 

Step 1: Create a new dashboard

1. Go to Dashboards > Create dashboard.

2. Name the dashboard Project blockers, then click Save. 

Step 2: Create a filter with a JQL query

1. Go to issue search (issue navigator) and enter the JQL to find issues blocking your release:
   

   linkType = blocks AND linkedByIssueProject = SEARCH and linkedIssueStatusCategory != "Done"

2. Save the query as a filter and name it Issues blocking search project.

3. If you want to further narrow this search, you can try these options: 

   1. Use linkedIssueType = Story to search for issues that are blockers for stories in your project.

   2. Try linkedIssuePriority = Blocker to search for issues that are dependent on blockers in your backlog.

   3. Try adding more keywords: assignee = unassigned - to identify issues that are being worked on or component = Core to limit the search to blockers from the Core component. 
      

Step 3: Present data on the dashboard

Add the following gadgets to the dashboard that you created in Step 1:

• Filter Results gadget: use the saved filter: Issues blocking search project.

• Pie Chart gadget: use the saved filter: Issues blocking search project and set statistic type to Status.

• Issue Statistics gadget: use the saved filter: Issues blocking search project and set statistic type to Project.

• Created vs Resolved gadget, use saved filter: Issues blocking search project.

Configured gadgets will give you a live insight into how your project depends on other projects, the exact issues that your project depends on, the status of these issues, and whether the dependencies are closed quicker than new ones are created.