Easy Tech TutsHow to Add Story Points in Jira
By Impran M N
Story points give Scrum teams a consistent way to size work relative to each other rather than in exact hours. This guide covers turning on the story points field in Jira and applying it to your issues.
01Check that story points are enabled
Confirm the Story Points field is added to your project's screens, since it isn't always visible by default.
02Open an issue to estimate
Go into a story or task that needs sizing before the sprint begins.
03Enter a point value
Set the story points field to a value from your team's chosen scale, such as Fibonacci-based sizes.
04Estimate during backlog refinement
Apply story points consistently during grooming sessions so the backlog stays estimate-ready for planning.
05Track velocity over sprints
Use completed story points per sprint to calculate your team's velocity for future planning.
Frequently asked questions
Why can't I see the story points field on my issue?
The field may not be added to the issue's screen configuration yet, which an admin can fix in project settings.
What scale should I use for story points?
Most teams use a Fibonacci-like sequence such as 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 13 to reflect increasing uncertainty at larger sizes.
Do subtasks need their own story points?
Typically no, story points are usually estimated at the story level rather than broken down across subtasks.
Can story points be edited after a sprint starts?
Yes, though changing points mid-sprint can distort velocity calculations, so many teams avoid it once work is underway.
Watch the full walkthrough
The same steps, demonstrated on screen from start to finish.
