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---
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stage: Plan
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group: Product Planning
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info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
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---
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# Epics **(PREMIUM)**
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When [issues ](../../project/issues/index.md ) share a theme across projects and
milestones, you can manage them by using epics.
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You can also create child epics and assign start and end dates, which creates
a visual roadmap for you to view progress.
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Use epics:
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- When your team is working on a large feature that involves multiple discussions
in different issues in different projects in a [group ](../index.md ).
- To track when the work for the group of issues is targeted to begin and end.
- To discuss and collaborate on feature ideas and scope at a high level.
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## Relationships between epics and issues
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The possible relationships between epics and issues are:
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- An epic is the parent of one or more issues.
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- An epic is the parent of one or more child epics. For details see [Multi-level child epics ](manage_epics.md#multi-level-child-epics ).
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```mermaid
graph TD
Parent_epic --> Issue1
Parent_epic --> Child_epic
Child_epic --> Issue2
```
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Also, read more about possible [planning hierarchies ](../planning_hierarchy/index.md ).
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### Child issues from different group hierarchies
<!-- When feature flag is removed, integrate this info as a sentence in
https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/group/epics/manage_epics.html#add-an-existing-issue-to-an-epic -->
> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/371081) in GitLab 15.5 [with a flag](../../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `epic_issues_from_different_hierarchies`. Disabled by default.
> - [Enabled on GitLab.com](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/373304) in GitLab 15.5.
FLAG:
On self-managed GitLab, by default this feature is unavailable. To make it available, ask an administrator to [enable the feature flag ](../../../administration/feature_flags.md ) named `epic_issues_from_different_hierarchies` .
On GitLab.com, this feature is available.
You can add issues from a different group hierarchy to an epic.
To do it, paste the issue URL when
[adding an existing issue ](manage_epics.md#add-an-existing-issue-to-an-epic ).
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## Roadmap in epics **(ULTIMATE)**
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If your epic contains one or more [child epics ](manage_epics.md#multi-level-child-epics ) that
have a start or due date, a visual
[roadmap ](../roadmap/index.md ) of the child epics is listed under the parent epic.
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## Related topics
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- [Manage epics ](manage_epics.md ) and multi-level child epics.
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- Link [related epics ](linked_epics.md ) based on a type of relationship.
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- Create workflows with [epic boards ](epic_boards.md ).
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- [Turn on notifications ](../../profile/notifications.md ) for about epic events.
- [Award an emoji ](../../award_emojis.md ) to an epic or its comments.
- Collaborate on an epic by posting comments in a [thread ](../../discussions/index.md ).
- Use [health status ](../../project/issues/managing_issues.md#health-status ) to track your progress.
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