Jira Connector

APPLIES TO

  • Business
  • Enterprise
  • Smartsheet Advance Package

RELATED CAPABILITIES

Who can use this capability?

To create or edit a workflow, the following permissions are required:

  • You must be a Licensed User in the Smartsheet environment. This includes having Editor permissions or higher on any sheet mapped within the workflow.
  • You must have a functional Jira account with adequate access rights to the Jira projects you wish to build a workflow for.
  • Your System Admin must enable the Restrict Users Jira Connector setting and assign you the Smartsheet Jira Connector User role. This role can be assigned either in the Smartsheet Admin Center or the Jira Connector interface.

The Smartsheet Jira Connector provides visibility into IT and software development projects being tracked in Jira. Issues are automatically synchronized whether edited in Smartsheet or Jira, ensuring every record is up to date.

Smartsheet Jira Connector overview and FAQs

APPLIES TO

  • Business
  • Enterprise
  • Smartsheet Advance Package

RELATED CAPABILITIES

Who can use this capability?

To create or edit a workflow, the following permissions are required:

  • You must be a Licensed User in the Smartsheet environment. This includes having Editor permissions or higher on any sheet mapped within the workflow.
  • You must have a functional Jira account with adequate access rights to the Jira projects you wish to build a workflow for.
  • Your System Admin must enable the Restrict Users Jira Connector setting and assign you the Smartsheet Jira Connector User role. This role can be assigned either in the Smartsheet Admin Center or the Jira Connector interface.

This article covers a general overview of the Smartsheet Jira Connector and frequently asked questions.

Check out our other help articles for information on:


Overview

Use the Smartsheet Jira Connector to track IT and software projects in Jira. Issues auto-sync between Smartsheet and Jira, saving you time and ensuring data accuracy. Developers can focus on Jira tasks, while analysts and managers can offer stakeholders necessary insights.

The Jira Connector allows you to:

  • Sync data bidirectionally or one way between Jira and Smartsheet
  • Create new Jira issues (for example, stories, tasks, bugs) in either Smartsheet or Jira
  • Edit Jira information from inside Smartsheet
  • Track metrics, create automations, and chart within Smartsheet

Is there an additional cost for the Jira Connector?

Yes, the Smartsheet Jira Connector is a paid premium offering. Learn more about the features and benefits. For pricing information, please get in touch with our Sales team.

Is this connector part of the Smartsheet core application?

Although the Connector isn’t a part of the core application, it operates according to the same policies, procedures, and security practices as the rest of Smartsheet. It is also subject to the same security protocols, uptime, and service levels.

Is the Jira Connector available for Smartsheet Gov or Smartsheet Regions EU?

The Smartsheet Jira Connector is available in the Commercial Smartsheet US instance. While the Smartsheet Jira Connector is available for the EU-hosted version of Smartsheet, you can’t use it within Smartsheet Gov. To import Jira data into the Smartsheet Gov instance, you can explore Data Shuttle. Learn more about what is included in Smartsheet Gov or Smartsheet Regions.

How do I install the Jira Connector?

Suppose you have the Smartsheet Jira Connector purchased on your account. In that case, you can follow the steps in Jira Admin Connection setup to initialize the connection between Smartsheet and your Jira instance.

Do I need a Jira license to use this connector?

You must have a Jira account for any users who connect Smartsheet and Jira instances and any workflows between elements in Smartsheet and Jira. However, users won’t need a Jira account to use the Jira data once it is in Smartsheet via the Connector.

What versions of Jira are compatible with the Smartsheet Jira Connector?

The Smartsheet Jira Connector can connect with Jira Software and is compatible with Jira Cloud and v6.x - v9.x of Jira Server and Jira Data Center. Contact our sales team for more information on whether the Smartsheet Jira Connector supports your Jira environment.

Can I connect to multiple Jira instances with the Smartsheet Jira Connector?

Yes. You can create multiple connections to support different Jira instances (for example, production and test instances). The user creating the connection must be a Jira Admin of the instance they connect to.

Can I link multiple Jira Connector workflows to one sheet? Or sync multiple Jira projects to one sheet in Smartsheet?

While you can only link one Connector workflow to a sheet, a single workflow can contain information from multiple projects. You can create each workflow with all projects or up to 25 individually selected projects. In both cases, the workflow builder can only select projects they can access in Jira.

After I set up the connection, can any user on my Smartsheet plan create workflows?

Yes—by default, all licensed Smartsheet users on a plan with the Jira Connector purchased can create workflows with Jira projects they can access. The Smartsheet Admin/Connector Admin can put further restrictions on the environment and permission users individually via the User Management section of the Connectors app.

What fields can you sync between Jira and Smartsheet?

The Jira Connector supports most standard custom field types as long as they’re exposed via the Jira API. Support for the field Story Points is Jira version-specific. Support for custom fields added by external Jira apps or plugins has a limit, and the Connector doesn’t support syncing issue comments or attachments.

Do all fields need to be bi-directionally or automatically synced?

No. When you’re creating the workflow, you can decide which fields to sync, whether they’re bidirectional or one-way syncs, and whether this sync is manual or automatic.

How do I see the Jira Connector workflows I create?

You can always see any workflow that you create. If you’re a Smartsheet Jira Admin, you can see every workflow created by users in your organization, regardless of who created them. Check out our Create workflows with the Smartsheet Jira Connector article for steps to view and manage workflows.

When I need help, what are my support resources?

Which Jira data does the Smartsheet Jira Connector access?

The Smartsheet Jira Connector only pulls data defined by your workflow, mapping Jira fields to Smartsheet sheets and columns. It also fetches metadata like available fields and user lists in the chosen Jira project. This lets you map any fields or assign issues in Jira from Smartsheet.

Data and metadata retrieval use the Jira OAuth credentials of the workflow creator, respecting their Jira permissions. Don't worry—Smartsheet never accesses your Jira usernames or passwords, thanks to standardized OAuth protocol.

Can I create issues in Jira from within Smartsheet using the Jira Connector?

Yes. If you configure the workflow to sync data to Jira, Jira issues (stories, tasks, bugs, and subtasks) you can create within Smartsheet.

When building your workflow, make sure you select Sync new rows created in Smartsheet to JIRA. Once you create the workflow with the required fields, enter the information into a new row (or with a form) in Smartsheet and save the sheet. Indent the new row under the parent row to create subtask issues. The next time your Jira Connector workflow syncs, you’ll see newly created issues indent the new row below the parent row to create subtask issues to that issue in Jira.

The Project Key field is required when creating issues in a sheet mapped to multiple Jira projects. An error in the sheet will appear if you create a new issue from a sheet you mapped to multiple projects and don’t include the Project Key.

Can I filter out what data I sync between Smartsheet and Jira?

Yes! If you’re syncing one project, you can use the built-in filters within the settings of the connector workflow. Otherwise, you can use JQL to apply a filter if you’re syncing multiple projects in one workflow.