two different companies and two Jiras

[Miroslav Šestak]

Hello everyone...

Thinking on how to start this... I've read tons of articles online how to make it work but nothing.
Recently we have integrated Jira into our company, works good, no problems, users get used to it on opening tickets and so...

We have one external partner on which we communicate on daily basis and they also use Jira for all of their communication. Now here's the problem.
When we communicate with them I want that my inquiry is also part of ours Jira so we can track it like every other task.

1. I sent email to my partner’s Jira system (support@partner.com), and cc our Jira system ( ourjira@internal.com) (I want to have a log of report and to make it Resolved after we finish it) but initial request from our side needs to go via email.

2. Our Jira system opened new ticket with that request (IT-72)

3. When my partner replied from their Jira system, our Jira didn’t put their reply to ticket IT-72 instead it created new one IT-73.

4. If they reply again, it will open third ticket, and so on…

How do you guys handle that? Partners that you work with which are also using Jira?
I have ticked the checkmark in Configuration (Yes, allow all emails that contain a valid issue key to be added as a comment to the issue)

But still the same... every time that partner replies from their Jira, my Jira creates new ticket.

Thanks!

[Tim Kopperud · Accepted solution]

Hi @Miroslav Šestak 

I would't recommend initiating this prosess by sending an email with cc to your Jira, since you  don't have the key at this time.

I might instead suggest you initiate the prosess by creating an issue directly on your internal Jira and have an automation triggered by Issue created. Within that rule you send an email to your partner and make sure the subject contains the issue key. Something like this 

{{summary}} (our ref: {{issue}}

Just make sure the rule sends email to your partner only on prefered issues, i.e, apply a filter for a label, a component or a customfield etc. In example you an add a label "external-parnerxyz" and have a rule filter for that.

If you need to use mail for initiating the process, send it only to your Jira and have an automation rule as described above. You will also need to secure that only those emails are handled by the rule. 

TimK.

[Miroslav Šestak]

Hello @Tim Kopperud 

I will give it a go next week and let you know how it went.

So basically I open ticket on my Jira, and make some kind of automation that will send that ticket to my partner and at this time it will have my internal key ID?

I just need to manage somehow that they get my inquiry not just "Created ticket notification"

Thanks!

[Tim Kopperud]

Hi @Miroslav Šestak 

Yes. Here is an example of such automation rule:

Result at partner:

Your side: 

I did vote for @Ste Wright answer though, because email is seldom a good option for syncing data. There are many ways to sync between Jira instances, and sync method it often depending on the degree of your collaboration. But my answer is based on scenarios where email is the only option.  

TimK.

[Miroslav Šestak]

This actually solved my problem!

@Ste Wright  I will try to get on a quick call with a partner and if they are interested that we make some sync with addons. That would be ideal for us and them.

Anyway just one more "bonus" question @Tim Kopperud 
I just tested this and email is being sent from my Jira via "automation@atlassian" but I have set Reply-To adress "support@mycompany.com"
How will their Jira see it? As my support address or automation?

Thanks

[Tim Kopperud]

Hi @Miroslav Šestak 

You might have a look at this Replying to email notifications from the automation rule to be added as comments to existing issues | Jira | Atlassian Documentation

If you can involve your partner I would instead use webhooks. Principles explained here:

1. Have the initiating rule on your side as described above, but replace the Send email action with Send web request. You will need the URL from your parter before adding this (see step 2).
2. Your partner add a rule triggered by Incomming webhook. (In this action the unique URL for the webhook is the one you need to apply in step 1).
3. Your parter need also to create a rule similar to your rule, which I described in earlier post, but triggered from Issue updated. Use webhook instead of email as you do in step 1. The partner will need your webhook URL (see step 4). 
4. Create another rule on your side triggered by Incomming webhook. Use this to update your issue. 

Note:

If you need to instantly get the issue ID from your partner when they have received your request, the partner must also create a Issue created rule, again sending to the webhook.

Remember to apply a correct filter on your side in the start of the rule so you don't spam your partner with other internal issues. 

TimK.

[Tim Kopperud]

@Miroslav Šestak, I also suggest you set up a free Jira site or a trial site, if you dont want to concern your partner with the setup before you have everything up and running. This applies to mail setup as well as webhook configurations. Then you can test between your site and the new "fake partner" site.

TimK.

[Miroslav Šestak]

Hello,

I have just spoken with my partner and he's more interested that we do it via Webhooks.

Is there maybe any documentation or tutorial on that topic?

Thanks

[Tim Kopperud]

Hi @Miroslav Šestak, you might find this document interesting using the webhook approach Webhooks (atlassian.com)

Please regard this approach as advanced. I would again suggest you setup one or two test sites (Jira free or trial), to play around with when building this. 

Remember also to apply good and correct filtering on both sides, so you don't trigger webhooks to each other for issues that should not be included in this "partner issue collaboration". 

TimK

[Ste Wright]

Hi @Miroslav Šestak 

Email might not be the best option here - as it's limited to creation, comments, etc - I'd either...

• Use Automation to pass data to/from the other instance - I have seen this done, but it can get complex as it depends how much information you want to pass (eg. creation, updates, assignment, status transition, etc)
• Use an App from the Marketplace to keep the data synced - eg.
  • Exalate
  • Backbone
  • or another option from the Marketplace
• Use an App like Watchtower to visualise data from multiple Jira instances in one view

Ste

[Miroslav Šestak]

Hello @Ste Wright 

Does partner needs to install those Apps or it would be enough just do it on my side?
I would like minimum from their side, because we need their support, so it would be my responsibility to organize my part :)

Thanks

[Ste Wright]

Hi @Miroslav Šestak 

It depends on the App - most of them do list those needs on their Marketplace page, or related website.

Ste

[Katarzyna Szumilas_Deviniti_]

Hi @Miroslav Šestak !

As a vendor of one of the synchronization apps - Issue Sync Pro, I can confirm that most of the apps do not use any middle platform to sync your data so the plugin indeed needs to be installed on both Jira instances in order to communicate.
The configuration can be created and managed by one partner but the other Jira admin will need to at least authorize the connection.

The app developed by my team is still free of charge. We do plan to introduce the paid version soon but we will offer great discounts for the second license. I know that some of the other vendors also solve it this way :)

In case you would like to have a free demo of the tool, feel free to book it via this link.

Best regards,
Kasia from Deviniti

[Dhiren Notani_Exalate_]

Hi @Miroslav Šestak ,

I am Dhiren, one of the Solutions Engineer working at Exalate.

I would recommend you to try a dedicated integration solution in this case which can sync Jira issues from your instance to your partners instance.

You can choose which issues to sync and what information to sync within those issues (fields like summary, desc, comments, status, custom fields etc).

Your partner can continue to use their Jira normally and any updates on the ticket should flow back automatically to your Jira.

Do let me know if you want to know more on how this could work and if you have any specific use-case in your mind!

Thanks, Dhiren

[Diana_Architect_ZigiWave]

@Miroslav Šestak hi. Happy that you've solved the issue. Just to add another possible solution to such issues - ZigiOps. Fully no-code integration tool, 100% secure (it does not have a database so none of your data is stored by the tool), easy to use and connect systems bi-directionally (whenever the use case calls for such integration). You can tweak it to fit various use cases, not just sync issues. It will automate the data exchange between the Jira instances and the updates will be visible in real-time. You can check ZigiOps' free trial and just test it. 

Regards, 

Diana

[Jack Brickey]

Hi @Miroslav Šestak , in order to have the reply me a comment on the original issue then the subject of the incoming email needs to contain the original issue key. 

[Miroslav Šestak]

Would it be enough that key is located anywhere in the subject?

Its wierd Atlassian doesnt have any smart solution for that... its an worldwide service and a lot of companies are using it. I believe there are a lot of cases where "two jiras needs to talk to eachother".