How to configure Advanced Roadmaps on Jira

intermediate 8 min read Updated 2026-03-18

Quick Answer

Configure Advanced Roadmaps in Jira by creating a new plan, selecting data sources from your projects, setting up issue hierarchy, and customizing timeline views. Access the feature through the Apps menu and follow the setup wizard to define teams, releases, and tracking preferences.

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Prerequisites

Jira Premium or Enterprise subscription
Project administrator or site administrator permissions
At least one existing Jira project with issues
Basic understanding of Jira project structure and issue types

Step-by-Step Instructions

Access Advanced Roadmaps

Navigate to your Jira instance and click on Apps in the top navigation menu. Select Roadmaps from the dropdown menu. If you don't see this option, ensure you have a Jira Premium or Enterprise license and the necessary permissions.

You can also access roadmaps directly by going to your-domain.atlassian.net/roadmaps

Create a New Plan

Click the Create plan button in the top-right corner. Enter a descriptive name for your roadmap plan in the Plan name field. Add an optional description to help team members understand the plan's purpose. Select the appropriate Access level (Private, Shared with specific people, or Open to everyone in your site).

Use descriptive names like 'Q1 2026 Product Roadmap' to make plans easily identifiable

Configure Data Sources

In the plan creation wizard, click Add source to select your data sources. Choose from Board, Project, or Filter options. Select the specific boards, projects, or saved filters that contain the issues you want to include in your roadmap. You can add multiple sources by clicking Add source again.

Start with one or two projects initially to keep your first roadmap manageable

Set Up Issue Hierarchy

Navigate to the Settings tab in your plan. Under Issue hierarchy, configure which issue types should appear at each level of your roadmap. Typically, set Epic as the parent level, Story as child level, and Subtask as the lowest level. Enable or disable issue types using the toggles next to each type.

Customize hierarchy levels based on your team's workflow - some teams prefer Initiative > Epic > Story structure

Configure Timeline and Scheduling

In the Settings tab, scroll to Scheduling options. Set your Working days and Working hours to match your team's schedule. Configure Estimation settings by selecting your preferred estimation field (Story Points, Time Tracking, or custom fields). Enable Auto-scheduling if you want Jira to automatically adjust dates based on dependencies and team capacity.

Enable auto-scheduling cautiously as it can override manually set dates

Set Up Teams and Capacity

Click on the Teams tab to create and configure teams. Click Create team and enter a team name. Add team members by searching and selecting users from your Jira instance. Set team Capacity by defining how many hours per week or story points per sprint the team can handle. Assign teams to specific epics or issues in your roadmap.

Set realistic capacity estimates based on historical team performance data

Configure Releases and Milestones

Navigate to the Releases tab to set up project milestones. Click Create release to add a new release. Enter the release name, description, and target date. Associate the release with specific projects from your data sources. You can also import existing releases from your connected projects by clicking Import releases.

Align releases with your sprint schedule or major business milestones for better tracking

Customize Views and Save

Return to the main roadmap view and customize your display options. Use the View settings panel to toggle on/off elements like team assignments, progress bars, and dependencies. Adjust the timeline scale (weeks, months, quarters) using the zoom controls. Apply Filters to focus on specific teams, projects, or issue types. Click Save changes to preserve your configuration.

Create multiple views of the same plan for different stakeholder audiences (executive summary vs. detailed team view)

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Advanced Roadmaps option not visible in Apps menu

Verify you have Jira Premium or Enterprise license and appropriate permissions. Contact your Jira administrator to enable the Advanced Roadmaps add-on if it's not activated.

Issues not appearing in roadmap after adding data sources

Check that your selected projects contain issues with the appropriate issue types (Epics, Stories). Ensure the issues have the required fields populated and verify your View settings filters aren't excluding them.

Team capacity calculations showing incorrect values

Verify team member assignments and working hours in Teams settings. Check that the estimation field (Story Points or Time) is properly configured and populated on your issues.

Dependencies not displaying correctly on timeline

Ensure issue links are properly created between dependent issues in your source projects. Check that Dependencies are enabled in your plan's view settings and the correct link types are configured in Settings > Dependencies.

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