📓 Configuring Security/Visibility for Jira Work Items

Peggy Graham

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?

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.

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

🎥 Watch the Movie:

Video 🎥

🗒️ 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.

📚 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

🍎 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:

     

🎓 Final Grade:

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