Plan an epic on the timeline in Jira

From backlog items to a bigger plan

Backlog items are useful, but on their own they don’t always show the bigger story. In Jira, an epic helps group related work under one goal so teams can plan with more context.

This video is a straightforward walkthrough of how to plan an epic on the Timeline in Jira, then turn that plan into a sprint. It’s designed for first-time users who want to understand not just what the feature does, but how to use it step by step.

What the video covers

The walkthrough starts on the Timeline tab, where a new epic is created and named. In the example shown, the epic is called “Usage dashboard.” Once created, it becomes the container for related work.

From there, the video moves to the Backlog. For each work item, the Epic field is updated so the item is linked to the newly created epic. This is the key step that connects day-to-day tasks back to a broader goal.

Next, the video shows how to move from planning into execution. With those items in a sprint, Jira’s Start sprint flow is used to add a sprint goal and begin the sprint.

Why this workflow matters

This process helps bridge the gap between high-level planning and active delivery. Instead of treating backlog items as isolated tasks, the workflow shown here ties them together under an epic, then carries that structure into the sprint.

The result is a board view filtered to the new sprint, where every card remains connected to the epic behind it. That makes it easier to keep the team aligned on what the work is for, not just what needs to be done.

A simple Jira workflow for new users

If you’re learning Jira, this is a useful pattern to know: create the epic, link the work, start the sprint. It’s a clear way to organize related tasks and move them into delivery without losing the bigger picture.

Watch the video to see each step in action and learn how to plan an epic on the timeline in Jira.