---
title: "BigPicture"
canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/JQLSEARCH/604209543/BigPicture"
format: markdown
---
> Macro (aura-html)

This article describes the integration points and suggested use cases for JQL Search Extensions with BigPicture.

> 📝 [BigPicture](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1212259/bigpicture-project-management-ppm?tab=overview&hosting=cloud) is Appfire’s popular project management and project portfolio management app for Jira. You can leverage its power with additional JQL keywords and functions that **JQL Search Extensions** provides.

## Integration points

### Scope definition

JQL Search Extensions helps to define a precise scope of BigPicture boxes. 

You can source issues with:

- filters
- a narrowing JQL

It’s possible, for example, to have a box with a subset of initiatives or epics and their children. 

![Screenshot of a BigPicture box.](media://14e882b4-ffcd-4df4-aaa9-da4e0f7693a9)

You will typically create the [https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464) filter for the board and reuse it in the box.

The process of creating the filter from scratch looks like this:

1. Create a filter in [https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464).
2. Wait for BigPicture to sync the filters list (see the note below).
3. Use the filter in BigPicture’s box configuration: Task → Scope Definition → Automatic Rules

> 📝 BigPicture caches the list of filters and refreshes it every few hours. 
> 📝 
> 📝 Admins can force the refresh by clearing the BigPicture cache: 
> 📝 
> 📝 1. Go to* ***Apps*** *> **Manage your apps** > **BigPicture configuration**.
> 📝 2. Click **Clear cache**.

## Quick filters

You can use JQL Search Extensions keywords and [filters ](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209567)in your BigPicture quick filters.

Create a quick filter that uses the JQL extensions:

![Screenshot of a list of quick filters in BigPicture.](media://2fc1db45-2f9f-4efb-a8ab-5167030f0d71)

Use the quick filter that highlights the matching issues:

![Screenshot of a list of matching issues in BigPicture quick filters.](media://69ba7e4b-049c-4b23-ae47-873364b121b6)

Be sure to review the examples in the Use Cases section on this page.

## Quick search bar

You can use JQL Search Extensions keywords and filters in the quick search bar.

![image](media://7f382f3e-daad-408b-934b-fe8ed0806eea)

1. In the box view, click the **Search** icon (🔍).
2. If not in JQL mode, click the **ABC** icon to change to JQL.
3. Enter your JQL query.

> ✅ In JQL, you can refer to filters using the syntax, `filter="Your filter name"`.

## External use

It’s a common requirement to access the contents of a box outside of BigPicture, for example, to create a report in a third-party app or tool.

If you define the scope with a Jira filter, you can use this filter in:

- dashboard gadgets
- boards
- Jira search - use the syntax, `filter="Your filter name"`
- 3rd party apps that accept filters and JQL

## Use cases

### Source a subset of epics with their full hierarchy

You don’t need to add a whole Jira project to the scope of a box. You can create a box with selected epics, their stories, and subtasks.

If you have a list of specific epic keys that should be in scope, create the following [https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464) filter and use it as a scope:

`key in (EPIC-2, EPIC-5, EPIC-8) OR issue in childrenOfIssuesInQueryRecursive("key in (EPIC-2, EPIC-5, EPIC-8)")`

You can also choose epics that specify some dynamic criteria, for example, the epics with labels:

`(type=Epic and labels='myFeature') OR issue in childrenOfIssuesInQueryRecursive("type=Epic and labels='myFeature'")`

The above query could be limited to one project, or it can source the issues from multiple projects.

### Source a subset of initiatives with their full hierarchy

This use case is similar to the previous use case with epics. You can create a box that includes selected initiatives and all their children.

Depending on how initiatives are configured, you can use the following methods to source a subset of initiatives.

**Parent Link (Advanced roadmaps)**

If you use the Parent Link, then go with the `childrenOfIssuesInQueryRecursive` function:

`key in (INT-2, INT-5, INT-8) OR issue in childrenOfIssuesInQueryRecursive("key in (INT-2, INT-5, INT-8)")`

Or with more complex criteria:

`(type=Initiative and labels='myVision') OR issue in childrenOfIssuesInQueryRecursive("type=Initiative and labels='myVision'")`

### Link-based hierarchy

If your initiatives are link-based, use the `linkedIssuesOfQuery `function and a nested filter:

1. Create an [https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464) filter:   
`key in (INT-2, INT-5, INT-8) OR issue in linkedIssuesOfQuery("key in (INT-2, INT-5, INT-8)", "your initiative link name")`  
and call it “My initiatives and epics”
2. Create another filter that nests a filter created in step 1:  
`filter="My initiatives and epics" OR issue in childrenOfIssuesInQueryRecursive("filter='My initiatives and epics'")`  
This filter matches:
  1. the selected initiatives and the linked issues (epics)
  2. all levels of children of the linked epics
3. Use the filter as your scope in the box configuration

### Source issues linked to your project

You can use a filter to create a box that includes issues from your project and external issues linked to your project.

Use `project=MYPROJ OR linksIssueProject=MYPROJ or linkedByIssueProject=MYPROJ`.

If you only want to include the issues linked with the particular link type, you can create an [https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464)filter:

 `project=MYPROJ OR issue in linkedIssuesOfQuery("project=MYPROJ", "is blocked by")`

You can also get a full hierarchy of the linked issues by creating a nested filter:

1. Create an [https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/JQLSEARCH/pages/604209464) filter:  
`issue in linkedIssuesOfQuery("project=MYPROJ", "is blocked by")`  
and call it “Blockers”
2. Create another filter that nests the first filter:  
`project=MYPROJ OR filter="Blockers" OR issue in childrenOfIssuesInQueryRecursive("filter='Blockers'")`
3. Use the filter as your scope in the box configuration.

### Highlight the blocked tasks

Create a quick filter:

`linkType="is blocked by"`

You can now see what tasks are blocked by other tasks.

### Highlight the tasks with a high number of dependencies

Create a quick filter with JQL:

`linksCount>2`

You can see the tasks that have a specific number of links. In this example, all the tasks with more than 2 links are going to be highlighted.

### Highlight finished epics that have outstanding tasks

Create a quick filter with JQL:

`type=Epic and status=Done and issuesInEpicToDoCount>0 or issuesInEpicInProgressCount>0`

You can now see all the finished epics with tasks that need to be looked at.