How to Create a Custom Workflow in Jira

Edited 1 day ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Jira is a powerful project management tool widely used by development teams to track issues, bugs, enhancements, and project tasks. Among its many features, the ability to create custom workflows is highly beneficial for teams that need customized processes to handle individual projects. This lesson will guide you step-by-step on how to create custom workflows in Jira, explaining concepts in simple English and providing detailed examples where necessary.

Understanding workflow in Jira

Before delving deeper into the creation process, it is important to understand what a workflow in Jira consists of. A workflow represents a series of steps or stages that an issue goes through during its lifecycle. Each stage in a workflow is referred to as a "status." In the default workflow, examples of statuses include: "To do," "In progress," "In review," and "Completed."

The workflow also defines transitions - these are paths that connect one status to another, reflecting a change in the state of a problem. The transition can go from "to do" to "in progress" or from "in progress" to "done."

Why create a custom workflow?

The default workflows provided by Jira may not suit everyone's needs. Different teams have different processes, and it's important to have workflows that reflect the way your team works. Custom workflows allow you to define states and transitions that match your team's specific processes. This can lead to better tracking, more accurate reporting, and more efficient project execution.

Steps to create custom workflow in Jira

Now, let's take a look at the steps required to create a custom workflow in Jira. This process typically involves planning a workflow, creating the workflow in Jira, adding statuses and transitions, and then linking the workflow to a project.

Step 1: Plan your custom workflow

Before you even open Jira, sit down and draft a plan for your workflow. Identify all the statuses from the beginning of an issue to the end. Discuss with your team to ensure no status is missed and that the workflow is fully aligned with your project needs. Example statuses could be:

• Arrears
• to do
• in progress
• Code Review
• tests
• Deployment
• Done

Also, define transitions. Each state will have a series of logical steps to move from one state to the next. Mapping these out will provide clear guidance when it comes time to implement the workflow.

Step 2: Access the workflow section in Jira

Log in to Jira with administrator privileges as creating workflows requires such access. Go to Jira Settings by clicking the gear icon in the upper-right corner. Select "Issues" from the dropdown. Under the Issues menu, find and click "Workflows." This will take you to the Workflow Management page, where you can manage all existing workflows and create new ones.

Step 3: Create a new workflow

On the Workflows page, click the "Add Workflow" button to begin creating a new custom workflow. Jira will prompt you to give your workflow a unique name and description. It's important to be descriptive because this name will appear in your Jira project settings.

Step 4: Add conditions to your workflow

After creating your workflow, you will need to add statuses. In the workflow editor, there should be a button or link to add a new status. Click on it and start adding each status according to your plan. You can set unique colors for each status to make them stand out in your issue tracker.

Example of new status:

<name>Code Review</name> <category>In Progress</category> <description>The code is currently under review.</description>

Step 5: Add transitions between statuses

Depending on your situation, you need to define the transition. Use the editor to add transitions between situations. Each transition must have a name, and you can also add optional options such as rules that control when the transition can occur. To add a transition, click on the situation you want to transition from, and then select "Add Transition."

New transition example:

<from>Code Review</from> <to>Testing</to> <name>Approve Code</name> <description>Transition to testing after code review approval.</description>

Step 6: Publish your workflow

Once you have set all the conditions and changes, and you are satisfied with the workflow, it is time to publish it. Click the "Publish" button to finalize the workflow. If prompted, make sure you save all changes; this action will make your new workflow available for use with the project.

Step 7: Associate the workflow with a workflow scheme

In Jira, workflows are linked to a workflow scheme. The workflow scheme determines which workflow applies to which issue type. Go to the Workflow Schemes section of Jira (located under the Issues menu). Find the appropriate workflow scheme or create a new scheme, and then add your custom workflow to the relevant issue types in your project.

Step 8: Assign a workflow scheme to a project

Finally, you need to map the workflow scheme to your project. Go to the Projects section in Jira, select your project and click "Project Settings." Under the "Workflow" section, you can assign the appropriate workflow scheme to your project. This step ensures that the workflow you create is effective and actively used in the context of your project.

Testing and improving your workflow

Now that your workflow is live, test it thoroughly to make sure that statuses are transitioning as expected and that no steps are missed. Get feedback from your team to find out how the workflow feels in practice and if any changes are needed. Adjustments could include adding new transitions, automating some transitions with post-functions, or updating status names for clarity.

Remember that for any changes to be reflected in your current project setup, you will need to re-publish following the same steps as before.

Conclusion and best practices

Creating custom workflows in Jira may seem tricky at first, but it's an incredibly useful tool once you've set it up. Stick to the plan and approach each step methodically. Be sure to involve your team in the planning phase to ensure their needs are being met and that the new process is adopted by the entire team. A well-thought-out workflow can dramatically improve your project tracking and efficiency.

Review your workflows regularly to ensure they remain aligned with your ever-changing team processes. As projects evolve, having flexible workflows ensures you can adapt quickly without significant downtime or disruption to your team’s productivity.

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