Configure SLA alerts using automation rules, filter subscriptions, or the Jira SLA plugin

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In this article, we will look at all possible options for configuring notifications in Jira Cloud. We will examine the Jira Automation rules — SLA Threshold Trigger, creating a filter subscription, and an alternative option using the Atlassian Marketplace's SLA Time and Report add-on.

Note: For setup without third-party add-ons, the user must have Jira admin rights, which is possible only for Jira Service Management sites.

How do you set up SLA notifications in Jira Cloud?

SLA thresholds Trigger

This feature allows you to define specific conditions to trigger notifications when an SLA approaches thresholds. Let's go through the example — the Support team. We'll create a few Automation rules for Time to Response SLA.

Access to project settings: Start by selecting the appropriate Jira project and go to the project settings in the menu on the left.

SLA configuration: Go to SLA configurations and select Time to first response SLA.

SLA Goals: Set the time limit for your goal (for example, 6 hours) and specify a JQL filter for the issues. For example, filter by a component from the "Public website" (customer portal page) with a specific issue type, such as "Ask a question." Save it.

SLA Conditions: The default conditions should already be configured with "Issue Created" as the Start condition and "Work in progress" or "Resolution Set" as the Finish conditions. Change it if you need to.

Create Notification Rules: Save your SLA configuration and go to the Automation section. Here, you can create rules for sending email or Slack notifications.

Rule 1 — SLA About to Be Breached:

1. Create the first rule for notifying when an SLA is about to be breached. Select the "SLA Threshold Breached" trigger and choose "Time to First Response" from the SLA dropdown.
2. Set the SLA trigger time to "will breach in the next 1 hour." Configure the email notification subject and content using Smart values.
3. Name the rule and activate it.

Rule 2 — SLA Breached and Reminder:

1. Create two additional rules in case the SLA is breached and you want to send a reminder about a long-time breached SLA.
2. Duplicate one of the existing rules, modify the settings, and rename it. Change the SLA trigger option to "SLA Breached."
3. Delete the previous component and add a new one. Select "Send Slack message," insert your webhook link, and add the text message you want.

Rule 3 — Breached for more than 1 hour:

1. For the third rule, change the settings again: rename the rule and change the Trigger to "Breached by more than 1 hour."
2. Edit the subject line and content to highlight that this is a reminder.

Automatically prioritize requests: Add a "Set Priority" action to an automation rule and configure it accordingly.

Testing: Save the last automation rule and test all by creating a test request that will breach the SLA threshold. Ensure the selected issue type is the same as the SLA configuration.

You will receive a notification when the threshold is breached, and the request should be automatically prioritized based on its SLA breach status. Check it in the audit log. 

Subscription for Jira issue filter

Alternatively, you can receive a list of raised issues by email. It can be done using the Jira Query Language (JQL) filter in the Jira SLAs configuration.

Let's create a scheduled email list of breached SLA Time to Response issues. To ensure you receive timely notifications for SLA breaches, follow these few simple steps:

• Go to your Jira Filters. Select the "Advanced issue search" option to configure a JQL filter to identify breached issues during the specified time frame. Set the JQL filter according to the specific threshold for which you need notifications. Let's consider an example where issues breached within the last hour:
  

"Time to first response" <= remaining("0m") AND "Time to first response" > remaining("-60m")

• Set the time on the right-hand side of the JQL filter to match your required notification frequency.
• Save this search as a filter for easy access and reuse if necessary.
• Then, configure a Filter subscription to receive scheduled email notifications based on your JQL filter. Ensure that the subscription frequency matches the time specified in your JQL filter (e.g., 60 minutes). Go to the “Advanced scheduling” feature for more precise intervals.

Go to “Receiving Search Results via Email” for more details and insights if you have any questions.

You can repeat these steps for each existing SLA to configure notifications for various SLA breach scenarios. These methods will help you set up accurate notifications in Jira Service Management so you will be notified when SLAs are about to breach and after that.

How to set up SLA notifications with SLA Time and Report for Jira add-on?

Atlassian Marketplace proposes many Jira SLA plugins, but let's discover one of the most popular ones — the SLA Time and Report for Jira. This add-on offers SLA notification features that empower you to monitor your SLAs more effectively without restrictions but with more abilities.

After installing the SLA Time and Report add-on, you can set SLA notifications in Jira in two ways: by using comments on issues and via Slack.

Notifications as Comments to Issues

The first method involves sending notifications as comments on issues, which will be sent to your email. To configure this type of notification:

1. Access the SLA configuration settings in the Jira SLA plugin.
2. Choose the "Notify users in comment" for your SLA time goal.
3. The icon for the Message Template Editor will be displayed so you can change the notification text according to your needs.

Notifications via Slack Channel using the Jira SLA plugin

The second method allows you to set up notifications via Slack channel. Here are a few steps to perform:

1. Firstly, create a webhook URL for your Slack workspace. Here is a step-by-step guide that will help you to do this.
2. Open the SLA Time and Report for Jira add-on and go to the SLA Manager.
3. Create a new SLA Configuration and select the conditions that meet your requirements.
4. Define your desired SLA time goals and select the "Notify via Slack" option.
5. Paste the generated webhook URL following the tips above.

After that, you'll receive task notifications in your Slack channel.

Customizing notification text for issue comments and Slack messages

When you need to personalize the notifications text for issue comments or Slack messages, you can use the Message Template Editor. This editor will be available when you select any "Notify" action within the SLA time goal settings.

Follow these steps to change your notification text:

1. Go to the Jira SLA plugin and navigate to the SLA configuration menu.
2. In the SLA time goals settings, type the name and time for your SLA goal.
3. Choose the "Notify user in comment" option and select such recipients as "Assignee" and "Reporter."
4. Click on the message icon to open the Template Editor.

You'll find the default notification text with various Shortcodes inside the Template Editor. Similarly to "Smart values," all Shortcodes replace the placeholders in square brackets by inserting specified values from the issue into the message. As a result, you can modify your notifications to include only the information you want to share.

With the Preview mode, you can edit the text to see how it will be displayed in the message. Select the "Reset to default" option if you want to return to the previous version.

Save the result you have got.

To Sum up

When it comes to implementing notifications in Jira, your choice comes down to a single method: using automation rules in Jira Service Management. This approach is better suited for advanced users and projects that don't require a lot of SLAs and automation.

However, if you are a beginner or prefer more straightforward solutions, this method can take significant time to set up and test. In contrast, SLA Time and Report for Jira offers a convenient alternative. With this Jira SLA plugin, setting up SLA notifications is very easy and can be done in a single window in the SLA settings. Even if you lack experience, you will realize that it is easy.

🙂 Anyway, you should try a 30-day trial of the Jira SLA add-on or other Jira time tracking report plugins to discover all its advantages and make the best choice. If you still have some questions, the SaaSJet team offers a quick and helpful response with a one-on-one demo call.

If you want to track the time and know how it costs for the company, try a Cost Tracking Jira app, too. Cost Tracker for Jira Cloud is based on work logs and direct expenses, so it helps you report all invoice billing hours.