Atlassian Tools
The only Jira Epic template guide agile teams will ever need (with real examples)
Aug 27, 2025
•
min read
A Jira Epic template is a pre-defined structure for creating Epics in Jira, helping agile teams keep big deliverables consistent, complete, and easy to track.
In theory, tools like Jira should make your life easier. In practice? Too often they create new headaches — more meetings, more clicks, and more “Can you send me the X again?” messages than before.
Many agile teams start with the best intentions, only to spend hours chasing missing details, fixing uneven ticket formats, or manually rebuilding the same Epics for each project.
The very tools meant to “streamline” workflows end up burying you in admin overhead.
Jira is one of the most capable tools out there — but flexibility without structure can feel like a choose-your-own-adventure book where everyone picks a different ending. If each Epic is created differently, tracking big deliverables becomes almost a guessing game.
That’s where a powerful Jira Epic template changes the game.
Developed by Narva Software, an Atlassian Gold Marketplace Partner trusted by global teams like Harvard University, Deloitte, and Paramount, Issue Templates Pro for Jira helps agile teams standardize Epics, stories, and tasks without slowing them down.
With our Cloud Fortified and GDPR-compliant tool, Epics are quick to create, simple to manage, and accurate to track. Teams notice the difference quickly, like one that appreciated that project admins could create templates without leaning on Jira admins for every change. For them, it brought “a level of consistency that’s easy to set up and maintain.”
And because Narva offers a free trial, you can see the difference for yourself without sending a single “We need budget approval” email.
What is Jira Epic? The big picture in agile workflows
In Jira, an Epic is a large body of work that can be broken down into smaller tasks or user stories. Think of it as the “chapter” in your project’s book, made of multiple “pages” (issues) that all lead toward a shared goal.
Agile teams use Epics to:
➔ Keep related work items grouped together
➔ Track progress toward a bigger deliverable
➔ Align stakeholders on timelines and scopes
Whether you’re launching a product feature, upgrading infrastructure, or running a cross-team initiative, Epics help keep the work organized and stop half your project living in someone’s sticky notes.
Epic templates in Jira: Your shortcut to consistent, high-quality planning
A Jira Epic template is a pre-defined blueprint that guides how you create and manage Epics. Instead of starting from scratch every time, you can apply the same fields, descriptions, checklists, and workflows to keep things consistent.
A good epic template includes:
➔ Standards fields like Summary, Description, and Acceptance Criteria
➔ Pre-filled placeholders for scope, goals, and other key details
➔ Linked stories and tasks that are ready to populate
➔ Checklists for setup, QA, or launch activities
It’s the difference between “we wing it every time” and “we always know exactly what needs to be in there.”
Why every agile team should be using Epic templates
1. Standardization across projects stops guesswork with every project
Without templates, one Epic might be a detailed plan, while another looks like a tipsy text message draft. Templates create uniformity so stakeholders know what to expect every time.
2. Faster setup and less rework — the undervalued time saver
No more digging through old tickets to copy-paste. With an Epic template Jira setup, you can spin up a new Epic in seconds, complete with pre-configured fields and linked tasks.
3. Better tracking and reporting without the spreadsheet gymnastics
When every Epic follows the same format, reporting becomes more reliable. Dashboards, filters, and velocity tracking pull clean and comparable data with ease.
4. Collaboration that doesn’t rely on mind-reading anymore
Jira templates ensure all contributors — from developers to product owners — work from the same playbook. That means fewer misunderstandings and fewer “wait, I thought we were doing that” moments.
Stop Reinventing the Wheel with Every Epic
Get consistent, ready-to-use Jira templates. Save time, progress reliably, and collaborate without the guesswork.
Real-world Jira Epic template example: How a feature launch stays on track
Imagine a SaaS company rolling out a new in-app messaging feature. Without an Epic template for Jira, one PM might overemphasize UI work, another might forget backend dependencies, and QA gets looped in far too late in the process.
With a Jira Epic template example in place, every feature rollout Epic includes:
➔ Goal: The problem this feature solves
➔ Scope: High-level deliverables and constraints
➔ Linked Stories: UI design, backend integration, QA testing
➔ Acceptance Criteria: User can send, receive, and delete messages
➔ Milestones: Design sign-off, dev complete, beta release, full rollout, …
This shared structure keeps everyone - from design to deployment - on the same page.
The best Jira Epic templates for agile teams — and when to use each
1. Basic agile Jira Epic template
Designed to capture core information like goals, related stories, and essential tasks, making it ideal for smaller projects or teams new to structured Epics.
2. Scrum Jira Epic template
Include dedicated sections for spring objectives, dependencies, and review points to help sprint-based teams keep work aligned and visible throughout the process.
3. Kanban Jira Epic template
Organized for teams working in a continuous delivery model, with a focus on monitoring progress, managing WIP limits, and keeping the workflow steady.
4. Product development Jira Epic template
Provide a framework for tracking feature releases from early research through launch, ensuring that design, development, and launch steps stay connected.
5. Custom Jira Epic templates
Allow teams to create structures that reflect their specific internal workflows, with customized fields, automation rules, and linked issue types.
Agile Epic template best practices
➔ Keep them lean: too much detail becomes noise
➔ Review quarterly and update templates as processes evolve
➔ Include acceptance criteria upfront to prevent issues with the scope
➔ Match your agile framework, Scrum vs Kanban needs different layouts
Step-by-step: Creating a Jira Epic template example you’ll actually use
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Decide fields, checklists, and linked issues belong in every Epic. | Create a sample Epic in Jira with placeholders and standard elements. | Clone your template Epic for new work or set Jira automation to auto-create pre-filled Epics. |
Using Epic templates in Jira across different project types:
➔ Software development: Track large features from concept to release
➔ Marketing campaigns: Coordinate creative, content, and launch deliverables
➔ IT projects: Plan upgrades with linked tasks for development, implementation, and validation
Automation and add-ons that supercharge your Epic templates:
➔ Issue Templates Pro for Jira: Create reusable, dynamic Epic templates with automation triggers
➔ Jira Automation: Clone, auto-assign, and populate fields based on set conditions
Why your next Jira Epic shouldn’t start from scratch
Agile teams move fast. But, speed without consistency is a fast track to rework, unclear priorities, and missed deadlines. Every time an Epic is vague or missing key details, it adds friction between your internal (and external) stakeholders.
A good Jira Epic template builder locks in your best practices — so scope, milestones, and acceptance criteria are always in place. It works as a safety net for new team members, a memory aid for experienced ones, and a shared language for everyone involved.
Narva’s Issue Templates Pro for Jira makes this effortless. Instead of chasing missing info or status updates, your team can focus on building, delivering, and improving.
Many teams say the same thing when they try it for the first time — that our tool is “simple, efficient, and exactly what Jira was missing.”
See for yourself — take a look at Issue Templates Pro and make your next Epics easier to create, manage, and track.

Nar is the founder of Narva Software and a former software developer with real-world experience using Atlassian tools. After facing the limitations of Jira and Confluence himself, he set out to build simple, effective apps that make teamwork easier. Today, his focus is on creating practical solutions that help teams work faster and smarter — and are trusted by companies around the world.
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