Epic Name is locked for issue type Epic during CSV issue import.
Asked by Rob Duff:

I am trying to import a single Epic followed by several Tasks and link the Tasks to the Epic using Epic Name and Epic Link but keep receiving the warning message below, and the task fails to link to the epic. I am using the cloud version of Jira. My project is a Software Kanban.

**Epic Import Warning**:

Cannot set value for locked custom field 'Epic Name' in issue 'OTP Test Run Android v1.0.777' because it is not applicable for issue type 'Epic'

Also, when I use an Epic Name like "Epic #1" I receive this warning and is why my screenshot shows a numeric value for Epic Name and Epic Link, but still received both warnings. What is the correct format for Epic Link?

**Task Import Warning**:

Cannot add value \[ \[Epic #6\] \] to CustomField Epic Link in Issue with summary 'OTP - Typing a digit moves the focus to the next field'. Probably value was in incorrect format

I also tried the suggestions in this [post](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-questions/Some-problems-in-trying-to-import-CSV-file/qaq-p/1527496) including editing the CSV file in Notepad. Here is the file:  
IssueType,Summary,Description,EpicLink,EpicName  
Epic,OTP Testing Epic,Epic Description,,Epic 7  
Task,OTP Test Case,Task Description,Epic 7,

![Screenshot 2024-07-24 160621.png](/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/337750iC668560CBEE2B3F5/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-07-24 160621.png")


Answers:
author: Bill Sheboy
body: Hi [@Rob Duff](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5549482) -- Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

First thing, the Epic Name and Epic Link field are some of the fields that have been sunsetting for company-managed projects since late 2022. Epics will use the Summary and the link in the child issues is Parent. I do not believe that has been updated for external system imports with CSV yet.

Back to your question...

Are you trying that import for a *team-managed project*? (You may find that information in the list of projects.)

I only see that error when trying such an import for a team-managed project as those fields do not exist in that project type's Epics. And according to this suggestion, importing the relationship for Epics and child issues does not work yet: <https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JRACLOUD-83172>

When I try that same import type for a company-managed project, it works as expected.

Kind regards,  
Bill

comments: author: Rob Duff
body: Thanks for the response. Yes, I am trying to import into a Team Managed project linking subtasks to a task, tasks to a single epic. If this needs to be done in a company-managed project, then I can make that change. However, I am still unclear on how to get my issues to link. I have tried over the weekend to get my import to work into a company-managed project using a simple CSV file and could not get any linking for a task to an epic -- see included example CSV below. Any clarification on how this is done would be greatly appreciated.  

Summary,IssueType,Status,IssueId,ParentId  
Epic Summary,Epic,Open,1,  
Story Summary,Story,Resolved,2,Epic Summary  
Task Summary,Task,To Do,3,2  

![Screenshot 2024-08-05 083505.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/339997i12D4CF7548B8E813/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-08-05 083505.png")  


author: Bill Sheboy
body: This data works for me for a Company-managed project, importing from the admin function, External System Import:

![Screenshot 2024-08-05 110332 - Copy.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/340072iC56F9000F6F0CFC3/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-08-05 110332 - Copy.png")


author: Rob Duff
body: [@Bill Sheboy](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/1685313) thanks. I can confirm using a company-managed board allows for parenting a story or task to an epic. Now, I am running into an issue of parenting subtasks to a task within the same import file that I am parenting tasks to epics. Here is a screenshot of what I am attempting:  
![Screenshot 2024-08-09 105408.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/341023i431387B6AA8342A4/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-08-09 105408.png")

Here are two of the errors:  
2024-08-09 15:43:07,538 INFO - Custom field not found. Creating a new custom field for com.atlassian.jira.plugins.importer.external.beans.ExternalCustomField@3e211441\[id=External issue ID,name=External issue ID,searcherKey=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.customfieldtypes:exacttextsearcher,typeKey=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.customfieldtypes:textfield,valueSet=\]

<br />

2024-08-09 15:43:08,776 WARN - Cannot add value \[ \[KQ-2\] \] to CustomField Parent Link in Issue with summary 'Resuming KYB Process with the entered information after Exiting'. Probably value was in incorrect format


author: Bill Sheboy
body: Reviewing the [current import, parent / child mapping](https://support.atlassian.com/jira-cloud-administration/docs/import-data-from-a-csv-file/) of Epic -\> Task and Task -\> Sub-task, this still works for company-managed projects:

![Screenshot 2024-08-09 091933 - Copy.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/341027i79FB137B2804E922/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-08-09 091933 - Copy.png")

Ensure your Issue Type names exactly match the names in your project.

![Screenshot 2024-08-09 092314 - Copy.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/341028iBBE1DA48127F3136/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-08-09 092314 - Copy.png")

Note the "Issue Id" and "Parent" in this context are the import-related information and not the issue fields with those same names.

You may still add the Epic Name field, but that is but sunsetting and not needed for linking.


author: Rob Duff
body: [@Bill Sheboy](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/1685313) thanks for hanging in there with me! I was misunderstanding the "Probably value was in incorrect format" to be the actual identifier format (Issue Id or Parent Id). Instead, it was referring to the issue status for a Sub-task. I thought it was "Subtask" because that is what I see in Jira, but it is actually "Sub-task" during import. Everything is importing nicely now. Screenshot below for reference for those who may read this post.![Sub-task_not_Subtask.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/341030i98E85CF026C42361/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Sub-task_not_Subtask.png")

Note: This is for a company-managed board.


author: Bill Sheboy
body: Awesome; I am glad to learn it is working!


Tags: cloud

csv

epic-link

epic-name

import

jira-cloud

warning