Breakdown
Applies to
Navigation
Below the chart
When analyzing delivery data, it’s important to segment it by meaningful issue fields to gain deeper insights into trends and anomalies. The Breakdown feature allows you to do this directly in the chart.
To view the Breakdown, scroll down below the chart. By default, it includes all work items within the selected chart scope. You can click a specific zone on the chart to narrow down the Breakdown to that segment.
How to read the breakdown table
Common features
The chevron above the table displays the name of the selected scope (either the entire chart or a specific zone you clicked), helping you quickly identify which data is shown:
The table contains expandable rows for each data group shown in the chart, such as a metric, statistical measure, or status group. You can expand each row into two additional levels of detail (for example: Metric (1️⃣) → Projects (2️⃣) → Issue types (3️⃣):
In the Cycle Time Histogram and Time in Status charts, you can click a row in the Breakdown to highlight the corresponding scope on the chart:
At each level, click Find issues to view the corresponding issues in the Issue list below the chart.
You can expand or collapse all sections at once using Expand all / Collapse all. The chosen state is preserved when switching between chart zones or charts.
Cycle time histogram chart
The first expandable row of the table represents the selected metric - Cycle time or Lead time:
The table includes different columns depending on the selected Breakdown scope.
If a specific cycle time is selected
Total Count – shows the total number of issues within the selected segment.
If a highlighted zone (e.g., SLA 50–85%) is selected
Additional columns are displayed:
Min (Count) – shows the shortest cycle or lead time recorded in the segment.
Max (Count) – shows the longest time taken by any task in the segment.
If the entire chart scope is selected
The table also includes statistical measure columns - one for each metric selected in the Statistics settings.
By default, the table displays:
Median, 50% – indicates that 50% of issues were completed within this time or faster.
85% – represents the 85th percentile, showing that 85% of issues were completed within this duration or less.
95% – represents the 95th percentile, showing that nearly all issues (95%) finished within this time frame.
Cycle time trend
The first level of the table contains rows for the statistical measures selected under Statistics. The table includes the following columns:
Total Count – shows the total number of issues within the selected segment.
Metric (Cycle time / Lead time) – displays the duration for the selected metric, depending on your configuration in the Calculation settings.
Trend – indicates the direction and magnitude of change compared to previous intervals.
Time in status
The first level of the table displays rows for the status groups selected in the Calculation settings - the In Progress and/or Waiting groups. The second level expands to show the individual statuses within each group.
The table columns vary depending on the selected view:
For Absolute and Ratio views
Total Count – shows the number of issues in the breakdown segment.
Total time in status – displays the total time all issues spent in this status.
% of total time in all statuses – indicates the percentage of total time spent in this status compared to all statuses.
For the Average view
Total Count – shows the number of issues in the breakdown segment.
Selected statistic measure (Mean, Median, etc.) – displays the chosen statistical value representing the average time issues spent in this status.
Nested breakdown
Click the Breakdown button to set which fields are used for grouping.
You can select up to 2 levels of breakdown, based on any Jira field.
Drag fields to reorder the first and second levels.
Click Reset to return to the default suggested view.
For nested levels, the Total count column displays both the numeric value and the percentage of the parent total (1️⃣). Sparkbars (2️⃣) help to visually compare proportions.
Possible breakdown configurations
By Board (team)
When multiple teams collaborate on a major release, for example, having sprint metrics segmented by boards (teams) is essential. This allows you to examine individual team data alongside aggregate values, providing insights into anomalies and trends.
By Project
Whatever the data source you use, whether it be boards or a JQL filter, you can view the work distribution by projects. This provides perspective on the ratio between projects and the ability to spot unexpected results.
By Issue type
Jira standard issue types usually represent different types of work: a Story is about delivering value to the end user, a Bug is for fixing what is broken, and a Task is used for additional technical efforts that do not directly impact the user. Having velocity metrics broken down by issue type provides additional context for interpreting the results of a sprint or interval.
By Priority
Segmenting your commitments, changes, and results by priority provides insight into what’s happening, especially when combined with other breakdown options.
By Assignee
An individual perspective allows you to see how work is distributed among assignees, regardless of the data source selected for the chart.
By Epic (Parent)
Epics are often used as a container for stories to group them by a common topic or place in a product, such as Sign up or Onboarding. Therefore, having work segmented by Epics is beneficial for analyzing team focus and resource allocation.
By Release (Fix Version)
Releases are the main points of synchronization within and among teams because they frame the delivery around the goal to release some value to users. A breakdown by releases provides a helicopter view of all work in the sprint or time interval.
By Label
Labels are the most flexible option for distinguishing one type of work from another, making the breakdown by labels proper indeed.
By Creator
Breaking down issues by the Creator field provides a reliable historical record of who created each issue, enhancing security and accountability by ensuring the original author is always logged, even if reporting responsibility shifts.
By Reporter
Using the Reporter field for breakdowns allows you to track the current responsibility for each issue. This offers dynamic reporting that reflects the current state of issue ownership and helps manage workloads effectively.
By Resolution
Breaking down issues by the Resolution field in Jira provides valuable insights into the outcomes of tasks, allowing for a clearer understanding of task closure reasons and overall project progress.
Many more
You can break down by any Jira field available in your instance, whether it’s built-in or tailored for your process. For example:
Component – product area or subsystem.
Environment – staging, production, mobile, web, etc.
Due Date / Target Date – delivery or compliance deadlines.
Program Increment / Value Stream / ART – common in SAFe setups.
Business Value / WSJF factors – prioritization and portfolio metrics.
Severity / Impact / Risk Level – often used for bug tracking or compliance.
Custom labels, tags, or categories – any field that helps segment your work.
Experiment with different options to discover the insights most valuable for your team.