Move multiple work items to the next sprint in Jira
The backlog is Jira's planning view for moving several work items between sprints. Select the work together, then drag the selection or use its move action. Jira records moves into or out of an active sprint as scope changes.
Company and team-managed spaces
The backlog selection and move flow is the same in both space types. The work must be visible on the board's backlog, and you need the relevant scheduling and editing permissions for the spaces represented by the selected work.
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Open the Backlog
Open the board that owns the sprint, then select Backlog. Expand the source and destination sprint sections so you can see where the work will move. -
Select multiple work items
Use the work item checkboxes, or hold ⌘ (Mac) / Ctrl (Windows) while selecting individual work items. -
Move the selection to the sprint
Drag the selected work items into the target sprint, or open More actions (•••) on the selection and choose the relevant sprint. Company-managed backlogs also expose this action by right-clicking the selection. -
Confirm the scope-change warning
If the move adds work to or removes work from an active sprint, confirm the scope change. Jira records it in sprint reporting.
Move a whole sprint in one go
Select the work, choose the sprint, and stay on the board.
Good to know
A few things worth knowing before you move work items between sprints:
- Use the Backlog for planning several moves. Dragging a card between board columns changes status. The backlog exposes sprint sections and multi-selection for planning work together.
- Scope changes are tracked. Moving work items into or out of an active sprint is recorded as a scope change and shows up in the burndown chart and sprint report. If you're rolling over unfinished work, it's cleaner to use the Complete sprint dialog, which asks where incomplete work items should go.
- Closed sprints can't receive moves. Only active and future sprints are valid destinations; Jira excludes completed sprints from the destination list entirely.
- Sprints belong to their originating board and backlog. A sprint can contain work from several spaces when the board filter includes it, but you need the relevant permissions in every affected space.
Sprint planning without the backlog detour
BetterBoard treats Sprint like any other field: select cards, set the sprint, done. Free to try with your Jira.
FAQ
How do I drag multiple work items to a sprint at once in Jira?
Open the Backlog, select the work items with checkboxes or Ctrl/Command, then drag the selection into the target sprint or use the selection's move action.
How do I move unfinished work items to the next sprint when closing a sprint?
Use the Complete sprint dialog. When you close an active sprint, Jira asks where to send incomplete work items: you can send them all to the backlog or to a specific future sprint in one action. This is the cleanest way to roll work forward.
Can I move work items into a sprint that hasn't started yet?
Yes. Future (planned) sprints are valid destinations. You can only move work items into active or future sprints: closed sprints can't receive moved work items.
Will moving work items into an active sprint mess up my reports?
It's recorded as a scope change, which appears in the burndown chart and sprint report. That's intended behavior so teams can see mid-sprint changes. If you don't want it reflected, plan moves before the sprint starts.
Can I move work items from different spaces into the same sprint?
Yes, when the sprint's board filter includes that work and you have the required permissions in every affected space. Cross-space sprint actions can fail when even one represented space denies the needed permission.