From Spreadsheets to Jira: A Simple Guide for Business Teams

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Think Jira is just for developers? Think again! This article shows how teams across marketing, HR, finance, and more can use Jira to, as we Atlassians frequently say, get s**t done!

Ready to jump in?

Parts of a Jira space

Every Jira space uses a few building blocks. Here are the essentials you’ll see and how to use them effectively:

• Work items: tasks, sub-tasks, requests, and custom types that fit your team (e.g., Campaign, Candidate, Invoice).
• Statuses & workflow: the flow work moves through (e.g., To do → In progress → Done). Keep it simple at first.
• Fields: who, what, when. Assignee, due date, priority, and any custom fields you need (such as budget, channel, etc.).
• Views: switch between List, Board, Calendar, and Timeline views to plan and track from different angles.
• Roles & permissions: administrators can configure roles and permissions so team members can do their work and viewers can stay informed.

💡 Pro tip: name your statuses by action (e.g., "In review") and keep the required fields to a minimum so people actually use them.

Jira space templates

Templates are ready-made setups that combine the work item types, workflows, and views discussed above into a single, tailored setup for your team’s specific needs. They help you start faster with sensible defaults you can tweak later.

Some popular picks are:

• Task tracking: a simple, flexible board for to-dos and small projects.
• Marketing campaign: plan deliverables, timelines, and approvals.
• Content management: manage article or asset pipelines from idea to publish.
• HR recruitment: track candidates through stages with assignments and due dates.
• Finance approvals: standardize requests, reviews, and sign-offs.
• Full list of Jira space templates

ℹ️ How to choose: start with the closest match to your process. If you’re unsure, pick Task tracking - it's easy to adapt as you learn.

What it looks like in practice

Let’s walk through a quick example. Let’s say we have a team that has chosen to use Jira to track their work:

1. They start by creating a new Jira space using the Task tracking template.
2. Next, they tweak the default workflow for their needs, adding steps for In progress and In review.
3. They add the fields needed to support their process: due date, owner, and budget (a custom field).
4. Now the team can start creating work items. They use the Timeline to set dates and any dependencies.
5. The team gets to work, tracking their progress on the board, using the Jira calendar for deadlines, and mentioning teammates when needed for quick decisions.

✅ Outcome: a clean, visible workflow that keeps everyone aligned from idea to launch - no spreadsheets required.

Wrap-up and next steps

Jira isn’t just for building software - it's a flexible way for any team to organize work and move faster. Pick a template, keep your workflow simple, and iterate as you go.

• Try it now: create a Jira space and add your first three tasks.
• Next, invite your team to join in.
• Learn more: Work in Jira business spaces documentation.
• Don’t forget to revisit your setup every once in a while, just to make sure Jira is optimized for how your team works!

🗒️ Have tips or questions? Drop them in the comments!