Shortly following the launch of Portfolio for Jira Server and Data Center 3.0 we kicked off a live webinar event which aired in multiple geographies across a two-day span. The webinar titled, “Introducing Portfolio for Jira 3.0”(which is now available for on-demand viewing) far exceeded our expectations for both the audience it would attract and the volume of questions we would receive over live chat. As a result, we struggled to keep our heads above water when it came to answering all the questions that entered our queue. So, now that the dust has settled, we’ve taken the time to review the entirety of the hundreds of questions we received and have gathered together our top 20 questions and answers from this event for your viewing pleasure.
We know this list only scratches the surface of what you might be interested in as you get acquainted with Portfolio for Jira’s new planning experience, so we encourage you to take a good look at what we’ve highlighted below and surface any remaining questions you have in the comments of this article.
2.x vs 3.x
How does Portfolio 2.x compare to 3.x?
There’s a lot more to Portfolio for Jira’s latest platform release than a sweet new UI. Check out this overview to see what’s changed from previous versions.
https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/changes-in-the-improved-interface-961780550.html
Are all the features in 2.x available in 3.x?
Not all features carried over from 2.x to 3.x. Visit the following page for more information: https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/future-releases-and-limitations-953663163.html
How long will the 2.x experience be accessible?
We know that a good portion of our user base has been successful using Portfolio 2.x. Although we are confident in the new direction we are heading with 3.x, we will maintain the 2.x “live plans” functionality for the foreseeable future.
How does the Calculate functionality in version 2.x compare to the Auto-schedule functionality in 3.x?
Similarly to the Calculate functionality in 2.x, the Auto-schedule functionality in 3.x leverages a sophisticated algorithm to automatically schedule work based on known issue details. You can choose whether or not to accept the changes it proposes — and if accepted, the changes will then be implemented in your plan.
Modifications to the scheduling algorithm
In many ways, however, this functionality has changed in 3.x when compared to previous versions. Markedly, the following items are not factored into the algorithm's outputs in 3.x:
- assignees/team members assigned to work
- individual velocity/availabilities
- skills/stages
- earliest start date
- plan-wide 'non-working days'
- default estimates
More insight into some of these changes can be found here: https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/future-releases-and-limitations-953663163.html
Ranking behavior changes
Additionally, there are differences in ranking behavior that has an impact on how Auto-schedule prioritizes work. Ranking a parent issue no longer automatically re-ranks all children. Learn more here: https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/prioritizing-issues-967895243.html
Added flexibility
In 3.x, you now have the ability to use the Auto-schedule functionality and then override the accepted outputs by manually applying changes to your plan. You may also choose to enact the Auto-schedule functionality at any time or forego its use altogether.
Further flexibility in its use is added with the ability to set which fields (from sprints, releases, and teams) can be overwritten with auto-scheduled values and you can choose whether to apply changes to all fields or only fields that are empty.
Learn more about the Auto-schedule functionality here: https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/auto-scheduling-issues-967895245.html
How do the capacity management capabilities of 2.x compare to 3.x?
First things first, here’s how to enable the capacity management capabilities in 3.x:
- In the roadmap view of the plan, click View settings.
- From the 'Group by' menu, choose Team. The issues in the plan will be grouped into team-specific swimlanes.
- To display the sprints associated to teams in the plan, click the Show capacity on timeline checkbox.
https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/grouping-by-teams-967895212.html
The capacity view from the 2.x experience will not be ported over “as is” to 3.x. Capacity is geared towards manual allocation of work and doesn't reflect the specific capacity output from the use of the Auto-schedule functionality. As noted in the “Development roadmap” section below, this is an area we will be placing more attention on in the future.
Can we still use mixed estimation methods?
Estimates are a plan-specific configuration. You can choose whether to use story points or time as an estimation method just as you had done in 2.x. However, unlike 2.x, you may not use mixed estimation methods because the estimation conversion functionality has not been implemented.
https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/estimation-967895166.html
Related to this subject, for parent issues, you can now choose to display a preview of the rolled-up values (estimates, teams, and releases) of the child issues in the corresponding fields. This functionality was added in 3.x.
https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/rolling-values-up-to-parent-issues-968677334.html
What happened to the reports tab?
Beyond what was highlighted in response to “Are all the features in 2.x available in 3.x?” (above), the reports functionality specially came up a handful of times.
Currently, the reporting functionality you've experienced in 2.x plans is not available in 3.x. This is functionality we are looking to bring back (see “Development roadmap” section), but for now, our sharing capabilities are a good substitute. Once you've visualized your plan in whatever way you want, you can simply share a read-only link or embed your view as an iframe using the share button.
https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/sharing-roadmaps-960719459.html
Compatibility
What versions of Jira Software can be used with Portfolio for Jira Server and Data Center 3.x?
Portfolio for Jira aligns its support for Jira Software with the versions listed on the Atlassian Support End of Life Policy.
https://confluence.atlassian.com/support/atlassian-support-end-of-life-policy-201851003.html
Does 3.x offer any improvements to the issues, projects, and teams limits that were present in 2.x?
There were no changes with regards to these limits with the launch of 3.x.
https://confluence.atlassian.com/display/JIRAPortfolioServer/Working+with+Portfolio+plans
Were there any API changes with the launch of Portfolio for Jira 3.0?
No, there will not be any breaking changes to Portfolio for Jira's APIs.
Migrating to and from 3.x plans
What is the process like for migrating from 2.x to 3.x?
Simply continue using any pre-existing 2.x plans without interruption, even after migrating to 3.x. See more info in the “How long will the 2.x experience be accessible” section above.
If you have already upgraded to 3.x and want to create a net new 2.x plan (also referred to as a “live plan”) see the “Creating a live plan” instructions on this page: https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/creating-portfolio-plans-970267321.html
How do I continue using 2.x “live plans”?
Simply continue using any pre-existing 2.x plans without interruption, even after migrating to 3.x. See more info in the “How long will the 2.x experience be accessible” section above.
If you have already upgraded to 3.x and want to create a net new 2.x “live plan,” see the “Creating a live plan” instructions on this page: https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/creating-portfolio-plans-970267321.html
Portfolio for Jira Cloud
What's the difference between Portfolio for Jira Server and Data Center 3.0 and Portfolio for Jira Cloud?
Currently, Portfolio for Jira Cloud is roughly on par with the Portfolio for Jira 2.x experience with a few minor exceptions.
Jira Align
What’s the plan with Portfolio for Jira now that Jira Align is in the picture?
Learn more about Jira Align and the overlap with Portfolio for Jira in this Community Article: https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-articles/Introducing-Jira-Align/ba-p/1068047
Pricing & Licensing
How much does Portfolio for Jira Server and Data Center cost?
Portfolio for Jira is priced on a user tier system. All of our pricing is documented online: https://www.atlassian.com/licensing/jira-portfolio
Note: The Portfolio for Jira license type and user count must match that of the Jira host product with the highest user tier it is being used with. See our licensing page for more details.
Why do we need to pay for a full license if only Product Managers use Portfolio?
The user tier for your purchase of Portfolio for Jira must match that of its corresponding host product e.g. Jira Software.
Portfolio for Jira provides visibility and transparency for the whole organization - roadmaps shouldn't be built and managed in isolation. Share and collaborate with all of your team members, not just Product Managers.
- Tech leads can plan their work.
- Program and portfolio management teams can get visibility into what the different teams are working on.
- Teams can see what's coming up next and what other teams they may be dependent on are working on - transparency across all teams is essential when you're scaling agile.
See our licensing page for more details: https://www.atlassian.com/licensing/jira-portfolio
Can I try Portfolio for Jira 3.x for free?
Yes! You can access a free 30-day trial of Portfolio of Jira Server and Data Center via our Marketplace listing: https://marketplace.atlassian.com/plugins/com.radiantminds.roadmaps-jira/server/overview
Whether or not you’ve evaluated Portfolio for Jira Server and Data Center before, we encourage you to give our latest version a spin.
In addition, if you are in need of a trial extension, please check out the following page for further guidance: https://www.atlassian.com/licensing/purchase-licensing
Development roadmap
What is on the Portfolio for Jira Server and Data Center roadmap post-3.0?
Here are some high-level areas of interest we are focused on at the moment. This is, of course, subject to change and we are unable to make any commitments in terms of dates of availability.
- Capacity management
- Reporting
- Sharing capabilities
Additional insight can be found here: https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/future-releases-and-limitations-953663163.html
See the “Sharing feedback” section below for guidance on how to influence our team’s roadmap.
What happened to classic plans (i.e. 1.x)?
With the launch of Portfolio for Jira 3.0, we have officially sunset the classic plans functionality in Portfolio for Jira Server and Data Center. Check out our migration guide for more details: https://confluence.atlassian.com/jiraportfolioserver/migration-guide-859479290.html
Sharing feedback
Where can I share feedback on Portfolio 3.x?
Share your feedback directly with the Portfolio for Jira team using the in-product "Give feedback" button located in the upper portion of your plan window next to the Auto-schedule button.
