📓 Configuring Security/Visibility for Jira Work Items

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📝 The assignment: One of my favorite Atlassian values is this one: Open Company, No Bulls**t. Cool, right? But what if you have some work that you just can’t share with everyone? Maybe it’s sensitive HR or legal matters, maybe you’re bringing in some partners or interns for a short time, and while you want them in your Jira space, they really shouldn’t see some of your work items? Did you know there’s a security scheme for that?

[Part of our CliffsNotes series. Would you rather watch the movie, skim the CliffNotes, or read the book? Below are all 3 options!]

Important note: These instructions only apply to company-managed Jira spaces. Of course, another approach is to use a separate Jira space for sensitive content and restrict access to that space.  This help article explains how to do that: Restrict space access to certain groups or users in Jira Cloud.

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🎥 Watch the movie:

Watch the video ⤴️

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🗒️ Read the CliffNotes:

1 - Set up space roles

Settings ⚙️ → System → Security → Space roles

Decide on how you want to group your Jira users. I prefer using space roles. This lets you create schemes that are shared across multiple spaces while still assigning people to roles on a per-space basis.

2 - Create the work item security scheme

Settings ⚙️ → Work items → Work item attributes → Work item security schemes

There are three steps to this one:

1. Create the work item security scheme

2. Add one or more security levels

3. Add one or more space roles to the security level/s

4. Optional: Set Security level to default

3 - Associate work item security scheme with your Jira space

Space settings → Work items → Security

Click the Actions button in the upper right corner, click Select a scheme, and choose the scheme created in the previous step. Follow the prompts.

4 - Grant permissions for “Set Issue Security"

Space settings → Permissions → Set Issue Security

You will need to assign at least one space role to set the security level on a work item.

5 - Add users to the space and assign roles

Space settings → People

Assign at least one user to a role with full visibility and one user to a restricted role, for testing.

6 - Set a work item to be restricted and test

Within your Jira space, a user with Set Issue Security permissions should see a lock symbol where a work item can be restricted:

Ensure the work item is visible to users with full permissions and hidden from restricted users.

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📚 Read the book:

Full product documentation is available via these links:

• How to use space roles

• Create a new space role

• What are work item security schemes?

• Create a new work item security scheme and security levels

• Grant users access to security levels in a work item security scheme

• Change which work item security scheme a space uses

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🍎 Extra credit:

Need to set the security level for multiple work items in bulk? Add the Security Level field to a list view, and you can bulk update:

     

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🎓 Final Grade:

So, how’d do you? Let me know in the comments if you got a passing grade!