Exporting an issue to a PDF

[Jim Stewart]

I was showing our HR department their help desk to be. Given that HR deals with all sorts of legal matters, they would like to download issues to PDF's. When we looked at the export possibilities there were Word (which they don't have, they use Google) or XML. So the only recourse was to print to a PDF from XML.

Is that pretty much it for options? I see an add-on in the marketplace called Better PDF Exporter. I can use a 30-day trial but it estimates that it will cost us $4000/year. I don't think I can sell that to management. 

So let me know if there is a built-in PDF exporter that I am overlooking or some other comparable solution. Otherwise we'll just keep doing what we're doing. Thanks 

[Angélica Luz · Accepted solution]

Hello Jim,

Thank you for reaching out to Atlassian Community!

When it comes to export issues directly to PDF, it would be necessary to use an add-on as you mentioned. 

There was a feature request suggesting this, but it was closed as "Won't fix".

There is a workaround they can use to save issues as PDF without an add-on. I was testing here and if we select the option Export > Print details (in case of multiple tickets) or  > Print (single ticket), it will open a new tab with a version to print. Using CTRL or Command + P to print, it will be possible to save as a PDF. I tested here in Chrome and Firefox.

Hope this helps!

Regards,
Angélica

[Jim Stewart]

Yes, that was a fix they were hoping to avoid. I checked out all the PDF apps. Incredibly, all of them estimate it will cost several thousand per year to use. Which, for a PDF exporter, is nothing less than a ripoff. So we'll just keep doing it the way you suggested. Thanks. 

[Jim Stewart]

Actually I see a Print option where I can print to a PDF but I don't see anything called Export-Print Details. 

[Angélica Luz]

Hi Jim,

The Print details option is visible when exporting several tickets. So, if you go to Filters > Advanced search you can filter all tickets that you need and use the Print details to export all at once.

 

[Levente Szabo _Midori_]

Exporting Jira Cloud issues to PDF is much more than "putting a screenshot of the issue onto PDF". It's also about handling different data types, languages, and layout preferences correctly. Being flexible and easy to script and automate is often a requirement, too.

Printing a Jira issue and sending that to a customer or manager would not suffice for many, so what tool you should use depends on who will use the output PDF and where.

If you are looking for a native and dedicated way for exporting Jira Cloud issues to PDF or to create professional PDF reports (tailored to your company's look-and-feel rules) instead of workarounds, one option to look at is Better PDF Exporter for Jira Cloud.

You can browse the Jira Service Management specific and other export samples here.

(Please note that Better PDF Exporter for Jira Cloud is a paid and supported app and I'm part of the team developing it.)

[Melissa Elvery]

I saw that it saves a link to the attachments, but does this automatically add the attachments as a page within the document or saves multiple files - one for the ticket export, then each attachment as its own doc?

[Levente Szabo _Midori_]

@Melissa Elvery You can embed the Jira issue attachments into the exported PDF. So yes, the attachments can be part of the exported PDF and if you download them from the PDF, you can work with each file independently. Let me know if this helps or contact us if you need more help implementing your use case!

[Melissa Elvery]

Ah brilliant, thanks!
Can you please advise if this embedding feature is to do with the add on or if it is a standard feature?

I can then work with my internal IT team.

Thanks,

Mel

[Levente Szabo _Midori_]

@Melissa Elvery Embedding files to PDF is a feature of the PDF file format. The app helps you take advantage of this when you export your data from Jira to PDF. I hope this clarifies it!