Integrate Jira and Azure DevOps: Guide with ZigiOps 2023

Introduction to the Modern Enterprise

Three key elements help organizations achieve their goals in terms of market growth and customer satisfaction delivery. These are the automation of workflows, flexibility, and reliability. Combined with the need for continuous collaboration between different departments, this is a stepping stone for success.

Jira and Azure DevOps - the ultimate solutions for large enterprises

With such a wide variety of tools and systems available, it is hard to use just one. Therefore, Jira and Azure DevOps are often both used in organizations. Even if you are using just one of them (you can read more on the differences between Azure and Jira in this article), your clients or partners may be using the other. This brings the need for a possible Azure DevOps Jira integration if you want to be able to seamlessly collaborate and manage the entire DevOps toolchain.

An Overview of Jira Cloud and Azure DevOps

Jira is a widely used DevOps project management tool. Easy to customize and offering a wide variety of features, Jira effortlessly supports various use cases. Its most prominent benefits are the detailed search capabilities, the highly valued built-in roadmaps, and the enterprise-ready form.

Azure DevOps is one of the most successful enterprise-oriented Microsoft products. The idea behind it is to enable dev teams to enhance their performance and delivery routine. Also, Azure DevOps offers developers a great environment and functionalities, like:

• Azure Pipelines
• Azure Repos
• Azure Artifacts
• Azure Boards
• Azure Test plans

Azure DevOps offers developers a great environment and functionalities to effortlessly create applications, execute tests, and deploy projects. It is Azure DevOps advanced testing capabilities, unlimited repositories, and the variety of work items that makes it preferable.

Combining them in a smoothly running Azure DevOps Jira integration, allows enterprises to maximize the systems potential and get the best of their enhanced capabilities.

Top 5 benefits of the Jira Azure DevOps integration:  

• The Azure DevOps Jira integration brings simplified and enhanced communication between the teams managing both systems. This eliminates the chance of information loss or gaps, especially when the data transfer between the connected systems happens in real time.
• Full traceability over the transition of crucial data between the two systems is possible, again, via the seamless Azure DevOps Jira integration (especially, if it works bi-directionally)

• Jira and Azure tasks, along with their corresponding title, description, urgency, issue links, and comments, are synced in real-time.
• Data input that is usually carried out manually, happens automatically when Jira is connected to Azure DevOps
• Scalability and digital transformation are easily achieved
• Apart from seamless data transfer across the organizations IT branches, Jira Azure DevOps integration enhances reliability and data transparency.

How to choose the right tool for a successful Azure DevOps Jira integration?

Companies integrate their systems to get the maximum of the capabilities of their technology stack. This allows them to enhance their teams work and performance and speed up the response to their customer requests and product rollout. Thats why picking the right tool for a Jira Azure DevOps integration is crucial.

There are a few key features, which the proper Azure DevOps Jira integration solution must possess:

• Flexibility is an essential component that helps an enterprises IT infrastructure continuously grow and enhance its performance without fearing limitations and restrictions.
• Expanded functionalities that enable IT teams to connect Azure DevOps with Jira in a way that allows automatic sync of important data, manage projects, and even assign tasks and keep track of them.
• Reliability is another must-have feature for the chosen Jira Azure DevOps integration platform. Ideally, the integration tool you use should protect you in cases of downtime and follow strict security standards.
• Ease of use is also a factor that must be considered when looking at the options for the Jira Azure DevOps integration solution. Deploying an integration platform that allows effortless connectivity between systems, even for non-technical employees in the designated IT teams helps departments boost performance.
• Scalability is yet another vital feature. In the best scenario, the Azure DevOps Jira integration solution must support the expansion and evolution of the enterprises IT ecosystem.

Quick overview of the Azure DevOps Jira integration

The Jira Azure DevOps integration offers an overview of the development lifecycle. And the best way to link the two systems is via a standalone solution like ZigiOps.

If you are looking for an advanced Azure DevOps Jira integration solution for a specific use case and would like to see how the ZigiOps connector can solve it  book a 45-minute demo.

You can sync all Jira Cloud and Azure DevOps entities in both directions, as well as map all fields, including custom fields, the way you want to. ZigiOps offers advanced filtering capabilities, to make sure only the necessary items will be transferred.

ZigiOps is very flexible, scalable, and customizable. At the same time, it is super easy to use and you can set your Azure DevOps Jira integration in record time.

For these reasons, ZigiOps is the platform that is the base for the Jira Azure DevOps integration in this guide.

Why execute the Jira Azure DevOps integration with ZigiOps connector?

Let us have a closer look at it. A tool like ZigiOps can easily handle the integration process and establish the Azure DevOps Jira integration between the two systems in less than 5 minutes. You can see ZigiOps in the Atlassian marketplace, as well.

Available both as On-prem and Cloud, the installation of ZigiOps happens easily and in a matter of few minutes. You can check the installation requirements here for further clarification.

As a no-code platform, the ZigiOps tool does not require special technical skills from its users  they have to simply press a few buttons to establish the Jira Azure DevOps integration. This makes it a perfect integration solution for companies that aim to optimize their resources without wasting time and effort.

Another beneficial ZigiOps feature is its scalability. One of the main ideas behind the creation of ZigiOps is to give mid to large-scale companies the opportunity to constantly grow and enhance.

ZigiOps bears in mind the need for 24/7 stability of the IT ecosystem. That's why it provides IT teams with the much-needed functionalities that allow them to enhance the systems overall performance without worrying about them crashing down and affecting end-user experience. This is crucial for the Jira Azure DevOps integration process.

Any great integration tool must also provide a high level of data security. This is mandatory, especially when it comes to the transfer of highly sensitive company data between comprehensive systems like Azure and Jira Cloud. That's why the ZigiOps Azure DevOps Jira integration connector does not store any data during the transition of information between the two. The platform also encrypts sensitive data visible on the UI or the filesystem, like configuration files, logs, and more.

One of the most popular use cases that act as a prerequisite for the Jira Azure DevOps integration is transferring tasks between the two systems. When the Azure DevOps Jira integration is a bi-directional one, both systems get synchronized in a way that keeps them up to date in real-time. The result, along with transferring tasks, their attributes (title, description, urgency, etc.) are also synced.

Jira Azure DevOps Integration Use Case

We will assume that one of the DevOps teams uses Jira as a work tool, while the other relies on Azure DevOps capabilities.

The Azure DevOps team creates a new task in the system. The task, however, is also essential for the Jira team, so it needs to be forwarded directly to Jira. The ZigiOps Azure DevOps Jira integration connector instantly links and syncs both systems. It fetches the created task and immediately transfers it to Jira.

In case of progress on the task in either Azure or Jira, changes will automatically appear in the other, too.

ZigiOps can help you sync Jira issues, tasks, and more with Azure DevOps work items and all types of entities. Any Jira field  description, status, comments, attachments, issue links, custom fields, etc. can be synced with Azure DevOps fields.

Check out our short Azure DevOps Jira integration use case video, for further details: Jira Azure DevOps Integration Use Case (zigiwave.com)

Few words before executing the Jira Azure DevOps integration  

The need for connecting the systems should be based on enterprises needs and plans for further development. Transferring data between two (or more) systems is not an easy task. It is directly tied to the development strategy of the company and must be synchronized with its future goals. The stability and requirements of the present IT infrastructure must also be considered. This aims to prevent any system collapse due to the overflow of operations.

ZigiOps possess all the features needed to ensure smooth Azure DevOps Jira integration (or any other system integration), data transfer, and synchronization of the connected systems. It provides a stable basis for companies to build up their internal IT ecosystems and maintain it with ease. The platform also seamlessly handles various use case scenarios when it comes to syncing comprehensive tools like Azure and Jira Cloud. You can check out Jira Azure DevOps integration page for further details.

Jira Azure DevOps integration configuration

The first step of the Azure DevOps Jira integration process includes the installation of ZigiOps (for those users who use the on-prem version of the tool). Otherwise, the process starts by simply logging in from the UI. Either way, it only takes a few clicks to do it.

Then, after logging into the ZigiOps system, you will be directly taken to the Dashboard. With its clean design, it aims to provide valuable information regarding the health status of the integrations, as well as other crucial data such as licenses, troubleshooting options, and more.

A sophisticated integration solution like ZigiOps also offers its users some advanced functionalities, which allow them to extract, transfer and update additional tasks data.

With ZigiOps, the two-way Jira Azure DevOps integration happens fast and in just a few steps.

It starts by selecting the two systems wed like to connect. We also must define which systems will be first and which second (the destination). In our use case, Azure DevOps will be our first system and Jira  our destination system. After setting them up, we must configure the following actions: data collection, filtering, conditions, and field mappings, as well.

Entities that wed like to transfer between the system are also defined.

One of ZigiOps most valued features is that it gives users the chance to effortlessly make the configuration.

Connecting to Azure DevOps

Upon installing ZigiOps (or connecting to it, depending on the case) its time to log into the system. For this, we use a username and a password.

Next, we can select the systems wed like to integrate. The ZigiOps platform connects to both Jira and Azure DevOps via API.

Our first system is Azure DevOps. After selecting it in the template field, we must fill in the following information to initiate a connection with Azure:

• Azure DevOps instance URL
• Type of instance
• Organization
• Authentication  requires a username and private access token (the token is generated from Personal Access Tokens functionality and selecting the + New Tokenbutton.)

This is the initial data needed for setting up the Azure DevOps instance. But it can vary, according to the use case scenario. In this particular example, well focus on the most common use case  transferring Azure DevOps tasks to Jira tasks.

As a next step, the ZigiOps connector automatically will check the connection with the Azure DevOps instance. The platform will notify if its a successful one. Parallel to the verification of the Azure DevOps connection, ZigiOps also fetches and loads the data from the systems. This allows the tool to prepare the information needed for establishing the Jira Azure DevOps integration.

Permissions needed on the Azure DevOps instance are:

• Work Items (READ, WRITE)
• Create Jira Task [Work Items (READ)]
• Update Jira Task [Work Items (READ)]
• Update Azure Task [Work Items (READ, WRITE)]

Connecting to Jira  

Since Azure DevOps is our first system, our second system (or destination one) is Jira. To initiate a connection with Jira is easy and happens similarly to Azure DevOps. The required information is:

• URL of the Jira instance
• Username
• Password

In the scenario, where the connection is done via proxy, a few additional data are needed:

• Proxy address
• Proxy port
• Type of authentication

The initial Jira requirements for the integration are:

• Browse Projects
• Create Issues
• Assign issues
• Edit Issues
• Resolve Issues
• Transition issues
• Add Comments
• Create Attachments

In case we want to Create Jira Task, the requirements include:

• Browse Projects
• Create Issues
• Assign issues

If there is a need to update a Jira task, then they are:

• Edit Issues
• Assign issues
• Resolve Issues
• Transition issues
• Add Comments
• Create Attachments

However, if there is a need to update Azure task, then the only thing needed is  Browse Projects.

Jira Azure DevOps integration template in ZigiOps

The next step of the Azure DevOps Jira integration process is choosing the right template. A flexible out-of-the-box solution like ZigiOps provides its users with the comfort of a large list of pre-built templates. There is also an option to start the Azure DevOps Jira integration from scratch.

Configuring the Azure DevOps Jira integration (bi-directionally)

After the Jira Azure DevOps integration template loads, there are a few fields that need to be filled:

• Azure DevOps must be pointed out as a source system (system 1)
• Jira must be placed as a second (destination) system
• Entities must be defined  in this use case, these would be tasks
• The Jira entity must be defined, too  also a task

Upon the initial set up of the Azure DevOps Jira integration, ZigiOps collects the Azure DevOps tasks and sends its data to the Jira system  creating tasks there. That happens via the integration platforms polling functionality.

It can be customized  allowing users to choose its interval, trigger conditions, and even expressions.

‍

Correlations play an important role in system integration.

‍The trigger is polling. ZigiOps allows choosing the interval to:

• Seconds
• Minutes
• Hours
• Days
• Weeks

We also can choose the trigger condition by the Azure DevOps Jira integration needs. Fields, values, and conditional mappings can change to fit any use-case scenario.

The mapping allows us to mark out the trigger conditions, tied up to the actions taken in Azure DevOps with these corresponding field names and send them directly in Jira.

JIRA Task Update

The next logical move of the Jira Azure DevOps integration is to ensure at what time period ZigiOps looks for any updates on the Azure DevOps side. If such are present, ZigiOps immediately fetches them and transfers them directly to the Jira system. The Azure DevOps Jira connector matches the updates with the tasks and updates it with the new information. Attachments and comments will be updated, too.

Again, the polling can be set to seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc. The trigger condition field shows at what terms data will be pulled from the Azure system.

We also have last-time expressions. This allows the ZigiOps users to store the value of any date/time field and auto-increment on each action run. For the Jira task update, the expressions are:

• last updated
• last change log
• last comment

Update Azure DevOps task

Since the ZigiOps Jira Azure DevOps integration is bi-directional, updating the Azure DevOps task with data from Jira is also possible. For this to happen, ZigiOps performs a thorough search across the Jira instance for any task changes.

ZigiOps polls data on a pre-defined interval which can be set to seconds, minutes, hours, days, etc.

The trigger conditions can, too, be chosen  depending on the use case needs. Change log/histories and comments can be updated with fresh data from the Jira side.

Last time expressions are also present in the integration: lastupdated , lastchagelong, lastcomments.

ZigiOps Jira Azure DevOps integration - mappings

Azure DevOps task update mapping

Mappings are crucial elements of all successful integrations. They help outline how data is transferred to the target system in an integration. In ZigiOps, the Mapping functionality is located in the upper right corner of the Azure DevOps Jira integration template.

In our Azure DevOps Jira integration scenario, we have a variety of fields that can be tweaked to fit our use case. Here, we have conditions for the statuses.

Just like in the Jira task update, here there is also a customizable mapping feature. We can see all the important fields that the ZigiOps system fills in with data such as system title, state, comments, attachments, etc.

There is also the option to add more fields to the existing ones if the use case calls for such. What will happen is that ZigiOps will search for any new information and if there is such, the connector will update the Azure DevOps task with corresponding data from Jira.

‍Jira Task Update  Field mapping

Thanks to this mapping functionality, ZigiOps can be set to look for new data/updates in the integration. In case there is such, ZigiOps will instantly fetch it and send it to Jira  thus updating it with new information from the Azure DevOps side.

Conclusion

To sum it up

Utilizing the power of tools like Jira and Azure DevOps can only bring advantages to those companies who decide to integrate them. If linked to each other, the systems can significantly improve product delivery and the overall performance of the teams.

When connected via a no-code integration platform like ZigiOps, the Jira Azure DevOps integration happens almost instantly. The two systems are immediately synchronized keeping both IT teams updated for any change in real time. Data transfer between them happens in a matter of seconds. Thanks to its fully customizable and easy-to-navigate nature, ZigiOps users no longer waste time in configuring the Azure DevOps Jira integration and can enjoy smoothness in data transfer automation.