Many tasks in Jira follow the same steps every time. A story has to meet the Definition of Done, and a pull request needs a code review. A new hire needs accounts and equipment before the first day. Writing these steps into each new work item by hand is slow, and it's easy to skip one along the way.
Some teams turn every step into a subtask. This works for a while, but a story with ten subtasks crowds the board and makes sprint reports harder to read.
In this article, we look at the native checklist options in Jira and how far they go toward reusable templates. We also explain how to build templates with a Marketplace app and apply them automatically. Along the way, you will find three ready-to-copy Jira checklist template examples.
Definition
Jira checklist template is a reusable list of steps that teams can add to Jira work items for recurring processes. It helps keep the same checks, responsibilities, and process criteria visible every time the work repeats.
TL;DR: How to Add a Checklist to a Work Item in Jira
Jira users have three main ways to add a checklist to a work item, and not all of them support creating Jira checklist templates. Two of the approaches are native Jira features, and the third one requires an app from the Atlassian Marketplace:
- Native action items. This built-in feature lets you create checklists in a description or a comment, but you can't save them as templates.
- The checkbox custom field. This field keeps the same list of options on every work item. However, it's designed for selecting one or several values, not for working through a checklist step by step.
- A specialized checklist app. Our solution, Smart Checklist for Jira, adds a dedicated checklist panel to work items and lets you save any checklist as a reusable template.
We will look into each of these options in more detail.
Jira Action Items: Simple Checklists Without Templates
Sometimes you only need a quick to-do list after a stand-up or a bug triage call. For such cases, action items are Jira's closest native checklist feature. In Jira Cloud, you can add them to the description, comments, and other rich-text fields of a work item.
To create an action item, type /action item or two square brackets [] in the text field. Each line turns into a checkbox that anyone with edit rights can tick off. You can also mention a teammate in an item, and Jira will send them a notification.
Here is what a short checklist made of action items looks like in a work item description:
Action items work well for quick, one-off lists. However, they lack most of what a recurring process needs:
- No statuses beyond checked and unchecked, such as In Progress or Skipped
- No assignee field and no due dates for individual items
- No support for automation rules / flows or workflow conditions
- No JQL search or progress tracking across work items
- No option to save the list as a template
For more details, please see our overview of Jira action items functionality.
Since action items can't be saved as templates, teams usually reuse them in one of two ways:
- Keep the master list in Confluence. You can store the checklist on a Confluence page and paste it into each new work item manually. This takes time but can work as a workaround.
- Clone a template work item. You can keep one work item with the checklist in its description and clone it whenever the process starts again. This saves some typing, but the template work item stays in your backlog and appears in filters and reports. It also doesn't help when a work item already exists and only needs the checklist.
Both workarounds can serve a small team with a limited number of processes. However, they are not reliable enough when you need a Jira checklist template that supports a repeatable workflow at scale.
Jira Checkbox Field: A Selector, Not a Step-by-Step Checklist
Admins who want the same list on every work item often turn to the checkbox custom field. This field holds a fixed list of options defined by a Jira admin. People who fill out the work item can then select one or several of them.
For example, a legal team can add a Risk Type field with options such as Financial, Reputational, and Data privacy. Everyone who creates a contract review task then marks the risks that apply.
This makes the field useful for structured data input. The selected values are consistent, and you can filter work items by them with JQL. As a checklist, though, the field falls short in several ways:
- The field appears in the details panel, not in the description, so it's easy to overlook
- By default, checklist items are collapsed in the drop-down menu. It's inconvenient for step-by-step processes where you need to go through a standard sequence of steps where it's easier to have the process before your eyes
- The options have no statuses, assignees, or due dates
- Only Jira admins can add, rename, or remove options
- JQL can find selected values but can't show how far a process has progressed
In terms of reuse, the checkbox field works differently from a template. Its list appears automatically on every work item where the field is configured, so nobody copies anything. At the same time, it's one fixed list for all those work items. Each new process needs another custom field, and teams can't adjust the steps for a specific work item. For teams that need a Jira checklist template for a repeatable workflow, this lack of flexibility becomes a problem.
I compared these options in more detail in my article about the Jira checkbox field.
Smart Checklist for Jira: Checklists With Reusable Templates
Recurring processes need more than a list of checkboxes. They need a flexible Jira checklist template that allows you to standardize processes and can be added to work items automatically.
You can achieve this with Smart Checklist for Jira, a feature-rich Jira checklist template solution for automating recurring processes. Smart Checklist can add a checklist panel to any Jira work item (Jira issue), from epics and stories to bugs and subtasks. You can use it to break a process down into clear steps without creating extra work items. Once the checklist is ready, saving it as a template for recurring tasks takes just a few clicks.
The app runs on Atlassian Forge, so checklist data stays within Atlassian's cloud infrastructure. It works the same way in Jira and Jira Service Management. For example, this is how an event planning checklist looks in Smart Checklist:
The main Smart Checklist features include:
| Feature | Capabilities |
|---|
1 | Detailed checklist items | You can group steps under headers and add an expandable Details section to any item. This is a good place for instructions, links to internal policies, or a short list of sub-steps. |
2 | Statuses for every step | Each item can be To Do, In Progress, Done, or Skipped. You can also create custom statuses, such as Blocked or Waiting for approval, with your own names and colors. |
3 | Owners, due dates, and priorities | Each checklist item can be assigned to a team member, with its own due date and priority. |
4 | Mandatory items | Critical steps can be marked as mandatory. With a workflow validator, the work item can't move to the next status until these steps are completed. |
5 | Project templates and Global templates | Project templates are available in one space, while Global templates work across your whole Jira site. This is very useful for standardizing processes across teams. |
6 | Linked templates | This feature allows you to keep every copy of a checklist template in sync with the original. When you edit the template, all checklists created from it are updated in all existing work items. |
7 | Built-in automation | Templates can be added to work items automatically based on work item types, status changes, or field values. You can also use them in Jira Automation rules / flows. This is convenient for admins who prefer to manage their processes in Jira Automation. It also helps with more complex scenarios. |
8 | JQL search | You can find work items by checklist content, item status, or assignee. For example, you can list all work items that still have open checklist items. |
9 | Dashboard reporting | Checklist progress can be visible on the agile board. For a wider view, 3 custom dashboard gadgets show completion rates, item statuses, and workload across work items, epics, and spaces. |
10 | Jira Service Management support | Your checklist can be displayed in service requests on the customer portal. Customers can see it in view-only mode and monitor progress on their request. |
As a result, teams can standardize the criteria behind recurring work and manage multi-step processes without turning every step into a separate card. Each work item starts with the same agreed checklist, so expectations stay clear, progress is easier to follow, and important criteria don’t depend on memory or manual setup.
The Three Most Common Jira Checklist Templates
Checklists are useful for a wide range of processes and complex tasks that are managed in Jira. Teams can use them to keep acceptance criteria visible, guide code reviews, manage release steps, prepare onboarding tasks, coordinate support requests, or track everything that needs to happen before a work item is complete. A Jira checklist template helps turn those recurring steps into a standard, reusable structure.
Checklist templates are especially helpful when a process includes multiple criteria, owners in several teams, or standard stages that should be followed every time.
We’ll now explore three examples that are most common for agile teams.
Definition of Done Jira Checklist Template
The Definition of Done lists the quality criteria that a story must meet before the team considers it complete. When these criteria live inside each story as a checklist, people go through them every time. This enforces standardization and helps you maintain the quality of your team's work. This Jira checklist template keeps acceptance criteria and quality checks visible inside the work item.
A Confluence page with the same list is much easier to forget, so having this checklist directly in Jira work items makes it more actionable.
Teams usually add this template automatically when a story is created or when it moves to testing. We will explain how to do this with a Smart Checklist template a bit further in the article.
You can easily reuse this template for your team. Just copy it, adjust to your process, and paste it into the Smart Checklist section of your Jira work item. Please note that you will need to install Smart Checklist from the Atlassian Marketplace first.
## Definition of Done
-! **Acceptance criteria met.** Every criterion in the story is implemented and checked by the developer.
- **Peer review passed.** At least one teammate approved the pull request, and all comments are resolved.
- **Tests written and green.** Unit and integration tests cover the new logic and pass in the CI pipeline.
- **Coverage target reached.** Test coverage for the changed code meets the agreed threshold.
- **Coding standards followed.** The code matches the team's style guide and passes linters without warnings.
- **No new security issues.** Security scans show no new high or critical vulnerabilities.
- **Regression checks passed.** Existing functionality still works as expected after the change.
- **Merged to the main branch.** The change is merged without conflicts, and the build is stable.
- **Documentation updated.** API docs, user guides, or release notes reflect the change.
-! **Accepted by the product owner.** The product owner reviewed a demo and approved the result.
Code Review Jira Checklist Template
Reviewers often focus on different things, depending on who picks up the pull request. A Jira checklist template for code review keeps the same review criteria in front of every reviewer. A shared list makes every review cover the same aspects, from requirements to deployment notes. The questions under each item work as prompts, so the reviewer doesn't have to keep them in mind. This template is a good candidate for automation when a work item moves to In Review.
## Code review
~ **Requirements.** Make sure that the code performs correctly and covers all requirements as described by the feature ticket.
> * Does this code change fulfills its intended purpose?
> * Does the code cover all requirements as described in the feature ticket?
> * Are there any unhandled edge cases or error scenarios?
~ **Readability.** Make sure that the code is readable and easy to understand, suggest breaking up the code or reorganizing it to improve the readability for other developers.
> * Is the code easy to understand?
> * Are variable names and function names clear and descriptive?
- **Maintainability.** Evaluate the code for maintainability, making sure it is modular, reusable, and easy to modify and extend.
> * [DRY principle.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_repeat_yourself) Are there any duplicated sections of code that could be consolidated into reusable functions or classes?
> * Will this change add undesirable compile-time or run-time dependencies?
> * Are there any best practices, design patterns, or language-specific patterns that could enhance the code significantly?
> * Does this code follow the single responsibility principle?
- **Performance and Security.** Evaluate the code for performance and security.
> * Will this code change negatively impact system performance?
> * Is there a way to significantly improve the code's performance?
> * Are sensitive data such as user data and credit card information being securely handled and stored?
- **Testability.** Evaluate the code for testability, ensuring that it can be easily tested and that any necessary unit tests or integration tests have been written.
> * Is the code testable?
> * Do the existing tests reasonably cover the code change?
> * Are there any other essential unit, integration, or system tests that should be added?
- **Documentation.** Verify that the code includes appropriate documentation, ensuring that it is clear, concise, and up to date.
> * Does the code include appropriate documentation?
> * Is the documentation clear, concise and up-to-date?
- **DevOps**. Verify there are described all the steps needed to be done after the PR deploy.
> * Are there any risks related to the deployment of this PR in terms of production operation?
Employee Onboarding Jira Checklist Template
Onboarding involves several teams at once. HR prepares the documents, IT sets up equipment and accounts, and the manager plans the first assignments. A shared checklist in one work item shows each of them what's still pending. You can assign every item to the person responsible and set a due date for each step.
An onboarding Jira checklist template helps you coordinate people across several teams, streamline the onboarding process, and ensure a better employee experience.
## Onboarding
### Before the employee's first day:
- Send welcome email to new employee with onboarding details, company policies and procedures.
- Request new hire paperwork and ensure all forms are completed before the first day.
> (Employment agreement, NDA, Data processing agreement)
- Schedule a meeting with HR to discuss benefits, payroll and other HR policies and procedures.
- Schedule a meeting with IT to set up the new employee's computer, email, and any necessary software or tools.
- Order any necessary equipment (such as a laptop, phone, etc.).
- Prepare a workstation with necessary supplies (such as a desk, chair, pens, etc.).
### On the employee's first day:
- Greet the new employee and introduce them to the team.
- Provide a tour of the office and introduce them to key personnel.
- Review the employee handbook and company policies and procedures.
- Review job responsibilities and expectations.
- Review any necessary training and development opportunities.
### During the first week:
- Schedule check-ins with the new employee to answer any questions and provide support.
- Set up any necessary meetings with team members or managers.
- Review the new employee's progress and ensure they have the necessary tools and resources to be successful.
### During the first 30 days:
- Provide ongoing feedback and support to the new employee.
- Schedule a review meeting with the new employee to discuss progress and any necessary adjustments to job responsibilities or expectations.
- Conduct a 30-day performance review and discuss any areas for improvement or growth opportunities.
How to Use Smart Checklist Templates in Jira
1. Turn a List of Steps Into a Jira Checklist Template
You can start by turning one of the examples above, or your own list of steps, into a Jira checklist template. The setup includes four steps:
- Install Smart Checklist for Jira. Your Jira admin can install the app from the Atlassian Marketplace. After this, the checklist panel becomes available in your work items.
- Add your steps to a work item. Open any work item and type or paste your list into the checklist panel. Each line that starts with a hyphen becomes a separate checklist item.
- Fine-tune the checklist. Add headers, details, assignees, and due dates where they help. Then, mark the steps that must never be skipped as mandatory.
- Save the checklist as a template. Open the three-dot menu in the checklist panel, select Save as a template, and give it a clear name.
The screenshot below shows the checklist menu with this option.
Every saved template is added to the Manage templates list. You can open it from the same three-dot menu or from Project settings -> Apps -> Smart Checklist.
From there, you can import a template into a work item, edit or rename it, make it global, and organize templates into categories. Deleting a template doesn't change the checklists that were already imported from it.
2. Apply Jira Checklist Templates Automatically With Triggers and Conditions
Use checklist templates with Smart Checklist's native automation
Importing a template by hand works for occasional tasks. For a process that starts several times a week, it's more reliable to let Smart Checklist add the checklist for you. The app comes with its own automation features, so you don't need to build a Jira Automation rule for this.
To set it up, open Manage templates and expand the template you want to automate. The simplest option is to select the work item types that should receive the checklist, such as Story or Bug. For more control, you can combine a trigger with advanced conditions.
The trigger defines when Smart Checklist checks a work item: on creation, on a status change, or when a field is updated. The conditions define what must be true for the template to be added. Here are a few examples of such rules:
- A Definition of Done checklist for every new Story
- A Code Review checklist when a work item moves to In Review
- An onboarding checklist when the summary contains the word "onboarding"
- A deployment checklist when the Components field is set to "backend"
When you add several conditions, the template applies only if all of them are met. Each template is added to a work item just once. If the work item meets the conditions again later, the checklist won't be duplicated.
Combine Smart Checklist templates with Automation for Jira
For more complex scenarios, you can also use templates in Jira Automation rules / flows. The Import Checklist Template action adds a checklist as one step of a larger rule. Other steps of the same rule can send a notification or update a field. To use it, copy the Template ID from the Manage templates list.
For example, the rule below adds a checklist to Jira Service Management requests based on the request type.
3. Sync Jira Checklist Template Changes Across Work Items With Linked Templates
Processes change over time. A security review gets a new check, or the compliance team adds a step to the release process. With regular templates, every work item that already has the checklist keeps the old version, because each import is an independent copy. Linked templates solve this problem.
A linked template keeps a live connection to every work item it was imported into. When an admin edits the original, the change is pushed to all linked checklists automatically. Team members can still move items through statuses, but they can't add, edit, or delete the items themselves.
Oleksandra Sokol, Product Lead at TitanApps
This also protects a process from local edits. For example, our engineering team uses a linked template for the deploy checklist. Developers update item statuses during each release, while the steps stay identical from one release to the next.
To create a linked template, open Manage templates, click Create template, and select the Linked checkbox. An existing template can also be converted through its three-dot menu with the Convert to linked option. The template details then show the full list of work items connected to it.
4. Monitor Jira Checklist Completion, From Work Items to Dashboards
After your templates start working, the next question is how the work is moving. Smart Checklist shows progress at several levels, from a single work item to the whole space:
- Inside the work item. A progress bar above the checklist shows how many items are complete.
- On the agile board. You can add progress status to your Jira board. Then, each card will display its checklist progress, such as 7/10, so you won't need to open the work item to find this information.
- On the customer portal. In Jira Service Management, requesters can follow checklist progress for their requests in the view-only mode (without edit rights).
- In JQL search. Queries can find work items by checklist progress, item text, or item assignee. For example, "Smart Checklist Progress" ~ "-Done" returns work items that still have open checklist items. Note that JQL results work at the work item level. When you combine several criteria, they may match different checklist items within the same work item.
- On Jira dashboards. Dedicated gadgets show checklist completion across multiple work items, epics, and spaces.
Smart Checklist offers three dashboard gadgets:
- The Checklist Completion gadget shows completion rates for work items selected by a JQL query, grouped by space, epic, or work item.
- The Checklist Pie Chart shows how items are distributed by status or assignee.
- Despite its name, Checklists Assigned to Me isn't limited to your own items. It lists items assigned to any users you select, so a team lead can follow the whole team from one gadget.
What Your Team Gains From Reusable Jira Checklist Templates
Once your recurring processes run on Smart Checklist templates, several things change for the team:
- Less repetitive setup. Nobody has to retype or paste the same steps into each new work item. The checklist is already in place when the work starts.
- Fewer missed steps. Critical checks stay visible in every work item, and mandatory items can block the transition until they're done. As a result, a forgotten step is caught before it causes rework.
- Clear ownership. When each item has an assignee and a due date, people know who handles the next step. This cuts down on status questions in Slack and in meetings.
- Faster ramp-up for new team members. A newcomer can follow a documented process from their first week, without asking a colleague about each step.
- Easier coordination between teams. Several teams can work through one work item, each handling their own items. This helps with processes that span departments, such as releases or employee offboarding.
- Process knowledge that stays in Jira. The steps don't live only in one person's head or in a forgotten document. They are part of the work itself, so the process doesn't stall when that person is on vacation.
Common Questions About Jira Checklist Templates
Does Jira have built-in checklist templates?
No. Jira's native checklist options are action items and the checkbox custom field. Neither of them can be saved as a reusable template. To create checklist templates, teams use apps from the Atlassian Marketplace, such as Smart Checklist for Jira. Such apps let you save a checklist once and add it to new work items manually or automatically.
Can you save Jira action items as a template?
Not directly. Action items are part of the text in a description or a comment, so Jira has no option to save them separately. A common workaround is to keep the list on a Confluence page and paste it into new work items. Another one is to clone a work item that already contains the action items. Both approaches require manual work every time the process starts.
How do you apply a Jira checklist template to every new Story?
With Smart Checklist, open the checklist menu in any work item and select Manage templates. Expand the template you need, such as your Definition of Done, and select Story among the work item types. From then on, every new Story gets this checklist automatically. Stories created earlier won't receive it, but you can import the template into them manually.
Can one Jira checklist template be shared across several Jira spaces?
Yes, if you save it as a global template in Smart Checklist. Project templates are available only in the space where they were created. Global templates are available in every space on your Jira site, which suits company-wide processes such as security reviews or offboarding. An existing project template can be made global later from the Manage templates list.
When should you use a Jira checklist instead of subtasks?
Use a checklist when the steps belong to one piece of work and don't need their own workflow. Typical examples include review criteria, quality checks, and the steps of an onboarding plan. Subtasks fit better when part of the work has its own deliverable, owner, and estimate. For example, each landing page in a website project can be a separate subtask.
Checklists can also be added to subtasks, which helps when a subtask turns out to have smaller steps of its own. We compared both options in detail in our article about Jira subtasks vs checklists.
