What is the difference between "jira" and "Projects" on the Goals page?

[Pete Stephens]

When viewing a goal we have "tabs" for Overview, Updates, Jira, Projects, Learnings, Risks, and Decisions.

What is the difference between "Jira" and "Projects", how do you use them, and, most importantly, when to use one over the other.

[Marc -Devoteam- · Accepted solution]

Hi @Pete Stephens 

This documentation should clarify this; understand-how-goals-and-projects-work-with-jira 

If you create a Goal, the Jira option is to link Jira work items, the Project option is the Projects you created in the projects option.

Projects are not the same as a Jira space.

[Pete Stephens]

So I should only use projects when I need to communicate with multiple teams.  Otherwise I should just use the "jira" linkages?

[Marc -Devoteam-]

Hi @Pete Stephens 

This relates to your process in your company.

Do you require to use these options?

What is your case in using this, is this based on roll up of work, then Plans would be a better fit.

[Pete Stephens]

I am really just trying to understand the difference between the two so that I can establish the process.  I am not required to use either by any current process, but want the best solution "out of the box" for the process to be developed.  I don't want to regret a decision to use one or the other 6 months from now.

I do agree that Plans might be a better fit as we have multiple spaces to integrate, but I may collapse them all into one space in the near future.

[Arkadiusz Wroblewski]

@Pete Stephens 

Then I have some advice for you and @Marc -Devoteam-  will probably agree with me. 

If you wanna understand something.... Test it yourself. Don't listen me or anybody trying being smart. Nothing can exchange personal experience.

That's how I understand place for Champions here. Not answering every question with direct solution. But real mentoring.

😊

[Arkadiusz Wroblewski · Accepted solution]

Hello @Pete Stephens 

In this view, “Jira” and “Projects” represent two different types of links to your goal.

“Jira” refers to individual execution work items like epics, stories, and tasks. “Projects” does not mean Jira projects or spaces; instead, it refers to high-level Atlassian Projects used for status tracking, communication, and stakeholder reporting. Simply put, Goals are your desired outcomes, Projects track the high-level initiatives, and Jira handles the day-to-day execution work.

Here some "Food for thoughts" https://support.atlassian.com/platform-experiences/docs/understand-how-goals-and-projects-work-with-jira/ 

😉

Best,

Arkadiusz 🤠☀️

[Pete Stephens]

I guess what is really confusing me is that when I create a project from the goals menu the system strongly suggests to tie to a jira (Epic by default) work item.  But the selected work item does not show up in the "Jira" view nor does it add a "linkage" as happens when you link using the "jira" menu item.  That is confusing to me.  Seems to me that if you have a project with an epic, then that should automatically be added to the "jira" items.

 - Pete

[Arkadiusz Wroblewski]

Hello @Pete Stephens 

I agree that this behavior is quite confusing. Atlassian treats Goal-to-Project and Goal-to-Jira item links as entirely separate relationships, meaning that connecting an Atlassian Project to an Epic does not automatically bubble that Epic up to the goal's "Jira" tab.

To make it appear there, you must explicitly link the Epic directly to the goal from the Jira side. While it would be much more intuitive if these nested execution items surfaced automatically, the current workaround requires you to establish both links to maintain visibility across both high-level project tracking and direct Jira execution.

Best,

Arkadiusz🤠