Text / Rich Text gadget not available in Jira Software Cloud dashboard

Question

Hi everyone,

I’m currently using Jira Software (Cloud) and trying to build a simple internal “portal-like” dashboard where users can click links to access forms.

I was looking for a Text or Rich Text gadget to place custom links (e.g., form URLs) on a dashboard. However, in my environment, I cannot find any such gadget in the “Add gadget” list.

Here are the details:

* Product: Jira Software (Cloud)

* Dashboard gadget list shows multiple standard gadgets (Activity Stream, Filter Results, Charts, etc.)

* However, no Text / Rich Text / Description-type gadget is available

* I have admin-level permissions

For additional context, when I previously used Jira Data Center (or Server), I remember that a Text or Rich Text gadget was available on dashboards. Because of that, I expected to find a similar gadget in Jira Cloud, but I cannot see it in my current environment.

My questions:

* Is the Text (or Rich Text) gadget no longer available in Jira Software Cloud?

* Is it only available in Jira Service Management or specific configurations?

* Has this been deprecated or removed in recent UI updates?

* Are there any recommended alternatives to display simple links on a dashboard?

Any clarification or workaround would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

wrenline · Answer

HI @nagata shumpei

Answering your four in order, because the history is what explains why there's no setting to find.

1 and 3. It's gone in Cloud, and it isn't a recent UI change. Atlassian disabled it deliberately, and their own tickets say why - the gadget accepts raw HTML, and HTML by nature has no protection against attacks on a dashboard other people can see. JRACLOUD-29848 and JRACLOUD-41943 both state it. So it's policy, and it has held for years.

2. Not a JSM or configuration thing either. There's no admin toggle for it in Cloud on any plan, so Premium and product admin won't surface it.

4. Since Confluence is off the table for you, three routes:

The free Rich Text Gadget that Marc linked is the right first try, and it costs nothing to find out. Worth knowing before you build a portal on it: it's an Atlassian Labs app listed as unsupported, and it runs on a server outside Atlassian rather than on Atlassian's own infrastructure. That's what most of its reviews are about - a config dialog that opens and stays blank, and text that saves and is then gone after a reload. For a scratch note that's an annoyance. For a page your team navigates from every morning, test it for a week before you announce it.

If you mainly need the links and not the layout, company-managed projects have sidebar shortcuts - "Add shortcut" at the bottom of the project sidebar. Not a dashboard, but it's native, free, and always on screen, which for a form launcher is arguably better placement than a dashboard people have to go to.

If you do want it on the dashboard, the thing to filter marketplace options on is where the gadget actually runs. One running on Atlassian's own infrastructure has no external host to time out, which removes most of what gets complained about in threads like this.

I build one of those - Dashboard Notes & Rich Text for Jira. For your case that's headings, a line of description and your form links in one gadget, so a dashboard column reads like a small index page. It runs entirely on Atlassian infrastructure, and it keeps a history of your recent saves that you can restore from, so an edit or a refresh can't leave you with an empty box.

https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/2843002962

Disclosure: that one's mine, so treat it as an interested opinion. Happy to answer anything specific about the free one as well - I've read enough of its reviews to know where it breaks.

nagata shumpei · Answer

Dear @Enric Font

Thank you for your response. We are not using Confluence, as there are some restrictions due to corporate policies...

Olha Yevdokymova_SaaSJet · Answer

Hi @nagata shumpei

You’re absolutely right — the Text / Rich Text gadget isn’t available in Jira Cloud, so building a “portal-like” dashboard directly inside Jira dashboards is quite limited today.

If you want to stay close to Jira and still create a structured entry point for forms, there are a few practical patterns using Smart Forms for Jira (developed by our team) that teams typically combine:

1. Auto-attach forms (removes the need for a “portal” in some cases)

Instead of sending users to a dashboard, you can bring the form directly into the issue flow:

Configure forms to auto-attach to specific work item types

When an issue is created → the form is already there

Users (or agents) don’t need to search for links at all

This is especially useful for:

Internal processes (HR, IT requests)

Standardized intake inside Jira projects it acts like checklist or task template

2. Manual attachment via Smart Forms panel in the issue view

You can also let users or agents attach forms on demand:

Add the Smart Forms panel (gadget) to the issue view

Users click → select the relevant form → attach it to the issue

This works well when:

You don’t want to overload every issue with forms

Different forms are needed depending on the situation

3. Project sidebar as a lightweight “form portal”

Instead of dashboards, many teams use the project sidebar:

Add form links as shortcuts

Group them logically (e.g., “Requests”, “Feedback”, “Approvals”)

This gives you:

A simple, always-visible navigation point

Faster access than dashboards

No need for additional gadgets

It’s a common workaround to centralize access to forms inside Jira

4. Confluence as a full “portal layer”

If you want something closer to a real portal experience, Confluence is still the most flexible option:

Create a page like “Internal Request Portal”

Embed or link Smart Forms directly on the page

Add:

Sections (HR, IT, Finance)

Descriptions and instructions

Buttons or cards for each form

This approach works well because:

You can design a clean UI/UX

Forms can be accessed by non-Jira users (via external links)

It scales better for cross-team or company-wide intake

When to use which approach

Auto-attach forms → when the process starts inside Jira

Manual attach in issue view → when flexibility is needed

Sidebar links → lightweight internal navigation

Confluence page → full portal experience for many teams or external users

In practice, many teams combine these:

Confluence page = entry point

Sidebar = quick access

Auto-attach = enforcement inside workflows