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# Planning hierarchies **(PREMIUM)**
Planning hierarchies are an integral part of breaking down your work in GitLab.
To understand how you can use epics and issues together in hierarchies, remember the following:
-[Epics](../epics/index.md) exist in groups.
-[Issues](../../project/issues/index.md) exist in projects.
GitLab is not opinionated on how you structure your work and the hierarchy you can build with multi-level
epics. For example, you can use the hierarchy as a folder of issues for bigger initiatives.
To learn about hierarchies in general, common frameworks, and using GitLab for
portfolio management, see
[How to use GitLab for Agile portfolio planning and project management](https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2020/11/11/gitlab-for-agile-portfolio-planning-project-management/).
## Hierarchies with epics
With epics, you can achieve the following hierarchy:
```mermaid
graph TD
Group_epic --> Project1_Issue1
Group_epic --> Project1_Issue2
Group_epic --> Project2_Issue1
```
### Hierarchies with multi-level epics **(ULTIMATE)**
With the addition of [multi-level epics](../epics/manage_epics.md#multi-level-child-epics) and up to
seven levels of nested epics, you can achieve the following hierarchy:
```mermaid
classDiagram
direction TD
class Epic
class Issue
Epic *-- "0..7" Epic
Epic "1" *-- "0..*" Issue
```
## View ancestry of an epic
In an epic, you can view the ancestors as parents in the right sidebar under **Ancestors**.

## View ancestry of an issue
In an issue, you can view the parented epic above the issue in the right sidebar under **Epic**.
