Advanced JQL for Business Analysts (Functions, Dates, ORDER BY)
Go past basic Jira searches: a function for the current sprint, IN for a list of values, a date filter, IS NOT EMPTY and ORDER BY on story points. One query, built up step by step on a real Jira site.
Step by step
Beyond the basics
- Advanced JQL. Basic JQL finds work items. Advanced JQL answers the questions your stakeholders really ask. What is left in this sprint, and what is the biggest piece? Let me build one query, step by step.
- Switch to JQL. On the search page, switch to JQL.
Build the query
- A function. Start with a function. Sprint in open sprints, with round brackets, means the sprint that is running right now. Next sprint, the same query still works. Search. Nine work items in the current sprint.
- IN a list. Now only the open ones. In checks a list of values. Status in to do or in progress. Names with spaces go in quotes. Search again. Five are still open.
- Dates. Dates are year, month, day, in quotes. Created on or after the first of October. For a moving window, write minus thirty d instead, the last thirty days.
- IS NOT EMPTY. Bugs here have no story points. Is not empty skips work items where a field is blank.
- ORDER BY. Last, the order. Order by story point estimate, descending, so the biggest piece of work comes first. Search. Four stories with an estimate, now sorted by size.
Read the answer
- Biggest first. On top, pay by card at checkout, five points. That is the story to ask about in the daily stand up.
- Check the count. Always check the count at the bottom. If it looks wrong, read your query again, one condition at a time.
Recap
- Function, IN, date, order. So, functions like open sprints keep a query up to date. In checks a list. Dates go in quotes. Is not empty skips blanks. And order by puts the biggest answer on top. Subscribe for more Jira tips for business analysts.
