Jira Automation - 5 Apps to Improve Your Workflow

How to work smarter in Jira

Jira's job is to make life easier for all of us. Meanwhile, server administration, uploading security patches or regular library updates haunt us in our daily tasks. In this article, we will focus not only on Jira workflows and automation applications, but also on those that streamline the work of administrators on a daily basis. We've compiled a list based on popularity among our customers, our experience, and positive reviews.

What are Jira Workflows?

Jira Workflow is the scheme of execution of tasks and processes in Jira, usually presented in the form of a diagram and associated with the stages in the Kanban board. With the help of workflow we can program a series of events that follow each other and change the status in issues. They consist of three elements: statuses, transitions and resolution. Each project has its workflow, even if it's the simplest one like the one shown in the screenshot below. 

Jira already has its own capabilities for creating workflows, but if you want to extend it with additional features you need to use the apps in Atlassian Marketplace. The apps’ features described below are for the Cloud version, except for the first plugin mentioned.

⭐ Quick glossary to stay on the same page 

• Jira expressions - a special programming language created for Jira. It runs on Jira Cloud and lets you evaluate custom code using Jira-related data.
• Conditions - rules that decide if a user is allowed to perform a transition.
• Validators - checks to ensure that any input provided for a transition is valid before it happens. This includes information entered by the user on the transition screen.
• Post functions - actions that take place after a workflow transition is completed, like updating issue fields or adding a comment to an issue.

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Workflow PowerBox by Almarise

The first app on our list created for Data Center Jira administrators. It allows you to create workflow templates and use them repeatedly, as well as take advantage of a large set of workflow conditions, validators and post functions.

Features:

• Create workflow templates that can be mass-modified and reused multiple times.
• Design templates for conditions, validators, and post-functions. 
• Apply mass changes to templates, saving admins time on manual edits. 
• Customize workflows with Groovy scripts for even more personalization.

⚙️Available for Jira Data Center 

Jira Workflow Toolbox by Decadis AG

Jira app with a high 4/4 rating in the Atlassian Marketplace, which allows you to extend workflow features without coding and with intuitive configuration. Its advantage is user-friendly documentation and customer support with positive reviews in the comments. 

Features

• Build Jira automations without coding skills.
• Use the Jira Workflow Toolbox to extend Jira workflows with custom conditions, validators and post functions. 
• JWT features include expression parser and editor, field codes, and audit log, allowing users to create customised and dynamic workflows
• Execute remote action integrates with other Atlassian tools and external apps or APIs (Hubspot, ChatGPT, etc.) 

⚙️Available for Jira Cloud and Data Center

Jira Misc Workflow Extensions (JMWE) by Appfire

Jira app that enhances workflows with an additional collection of post functions, conditions, and validators, presented as no-code, point & click configurations with powerful scripting capabilities. The app has many positive ratings for fast customer service and versatility. 

• Customize and expand your workflows with unlimited automation executions. 
• Large number of no-code extensions with features like syntax checking, inline help, and script tester. 
• Automate beyond native Jira workflows with event-based automation, shared and scheduled actions.

⚙️Available for Jira Cloud and Data Center 

Email This Issue by META-INF

Send and receive e-mails and notifications, with support for external users without switching to an email client. The app was recommended by users in the comments of one of our posts on LinkedIn as a must-have for Jira 🙂 

• Send fully customized emails directly from Jira - manually or automatically as event notifications or workflow transitions, including email addresses of external users, internal users, issue participants, roles, groups, custom fields, and more.
• Create custom email templates, use canned responses with multiple SMTP servers support and send customizable Jira email notifications.

⚙️Jira Cloud and Data Center

The Scheduler by Transition Technologies PSC 

The Scheduler allows you to automate the process of creating recurring tasks in Jira. Create issue templates that are set up based on your preferences.

• Planning of tasks in ongoing projects, especially those that are recurring (e.g., recurring training, testing, meetings, all kinds of renewals, upgrades or onboarding activities).
• Easy manage Scheduled Issues, monitor its state, plan, edit, fix or trigger them if needed. 
• Your issues can be created daily, weekly, monthly, or using your own custom interval. 
• You can either use our user-friendly interval wizard, or the cron expression.

⚙️Jira Cloud and Data Center

How to get started with Atlassian Marketplace Apps?

At Peakforce, we help organizations find the best configuration for their Jira based on needs, conversations and our expertise. 

If you are looking for an Atlassian partner to configure workflows or set up plugins, you have come to the right place 🙂 Let us know if you have any questions and contact us via form or email. 

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