Jira Backlog not showing all Subtasks
Asked by Toni Ikar:

Hello,

when I go to the Backlog I can see that there are 47 issues (stories, tasks, subtasks) in the backlog.

![Bildschirmfoto 2024-07-16 um 09.10.40.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/335799iCA2AA05972595A75/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Bildschirmfoto 2024-07-16 um 09.10.40.png")

But when I go to the issue search and query for issues with the Status = Backlog, then I can see 83 issues

![Bildschirmfoto 2024-07-16 um 09.12.09.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/335802i41C2E4DCB669AAA3/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Bildschirmfoto 2024-07-16 um 09.12.09.png")

After digging deeper I have the assumption that some subtasks are not shown in the backlog and some are shown. I can confirm that the backlog is not filtert anyhow and subtasks are generally visible in the backlog.

This is really bugging us, since we want to have an overview of all the open work in backlog.


Answers:
author: Trudy Claspill
body: Hello [@Toni Ikar](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5544794)

Welcome to the Atlassian community.

Is this a Scrum board or a Kanban board?

Is it for a Company Managed project or a Team Managed project?

The "Backlog" section of a board's Backlog screen is not necessarily linked to the issue status named "Backlog". Depending on the board and project type issues in the "Backlog" status may already be moved to the board.

It is also possible that the filter used by the board is excluding some of the subtasks. If the board is for a Team Managed project it will select all the issues in that project, but if it is for a Company Managed project then it is possible the filter has been modified.

When you provide answers to the two questions above we'll be able to provide more specific guidance on additional debugging.

comments: author: Toni Ikar
body: Hi [@Trudy Claspill](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/3569011) ,

We are using a Kanban Board within a Company Managed project. Here is the status on the column settings

![Bildschirmfoto 2024-07-18 um 08.54.15.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/336244i5C1E45B59CC7CED3/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Bildschirmfoto 2024-07-18 um 08.54.15.png")


author: Trudy Claspill
body: Hello [@Toni Ikar](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/5544794)

A Kanban board may have a sub-filter applied. Example

![Screenshot 2024-07-18 at 2.58.35?PM.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/336527i96D911A95F91CA18/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Screenshot 2024-07-18 at 2.58.35?PM.png")

Does your board have such a sub-filter?

When you see the issue count in the Columns/Status page those counts are before the sub-filter is applied. The subfilter will affect the issues that display in the Backlog and on the Board. If your board has such a sub-filter check if the missing issues are being excluded from the display because of the criteria in the subfilter.


author: Toni Ikar
body: [@Trudy Claspill](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/3569011) Here is a screenshot of my settings:

![2024-07-19_09-06.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/336622i7D7CBDA793A0F8D4/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "2024-07-19_09-06.png")

I found out that it's at least somehow related to the sub-tasks, I just can't find a pattern..

When filtering backlog to show all issue types except sub-tasks -\> 48 issues  
When JQL filtering for issue in status backlog and issue types except sub-tasks -\> 48 issues

Doing the same but this time including sub-tasks, I get 77 issues in the backlog and 91 in JQL search... ? So somehow 14 sub-tasks are in status backlog, but not shown in the backlog


author: Trudy Claspill
body: Can you compare the list of 91 from the JQL search to the 77 in the Backlog and identify the specific issues that are missing?

Once identified look at the Fix Versions field for those issues. Is it empty or does it have a value?

What do you get if you use this JQL?

project = ITB and (fixVersion in unreleasedVersions() OR fixVersion is EMPTY)


author: Toni Ikar
body: For that query I also get more issues than in the backlog. I identified a few subtasks and the Fix Version field is empty.

I found one pattern though, all sub-tasks for which the parent Story isn't in Backlog/Review status and therefore isn't in the backlog also aren't visible despite being in the right status. Could it be that subtasks are only visible in the backlog, if the parent story is also in the backlog ?


Tags: backlog

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