Anyone found an efficient way to manage ERP/WMS implementation projects in Jira?

Kyra Mayock
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January 17, 2025

Hi Community!

This is a pretty long winded question so apologies, but thank you in advance for any help!

I am a pretty well versed in Jira Software and I have used a couple of Jira Work Management Project previously so I know how to do all of the admin side of Jira, but, I am looking for the BEST way to manage a PMO portfolio of Cloud WMS Implementation projects simultaneously. I've seen somewhat related questions but none of the already posted answers really achieve what I am looking for so asking in a different way:

I *think* Ideally I would like to have 1 whole "project" template set up that I can clone, and the build a "plan" to look at an aggregated Gantt view of the whole portfolio and a "board" that pulls from all of the projects to delegate work to the consulting & integration teams. I know how to create plans and boards but I'm also interested if someone has done it better in any other way. For example, my first attempt at setting this up I had created 1 single "project" for the portfolio, and then I had created issuetypes of Project and Phase and made the hierarchy :

Project

Phase

Story/task

Sub-task

and I used the 3rd party App DeepClone to be able to copy the entire "project" structure, which was now just an "issue" but this seemed to get messy pretty quickly.

Our implementation methodology has the projects set up into Phases including:

  1. Project Initiation
  2. Discovery
  3. Design & Configuration
  4. Training & UAT
  5. Deployment
  6. Project Closure

We also have integration workstreams that get added to some of the projects and development feature enhancement work that gets added to some of the projects. The dev work is recorded in a different Jira Software project for our eng team. 

I need a way to visualize all 3 workstreams simultaneously and set dependencies with auto-adjusting start and end dates based on the dependencies (I don't think native Jira does this, so anyone have a suggestions for an app? that also might work with Deep Clone or something that copies projects & issues so the dependencies will stay in the new project once the clone has happened?)

So my main questions are:

  1. What Jira product did you use to accomplish this? (Software, work management, something else?)
  2. Did you use multiple projects, or create issuetypes that are projects and have it all in one?
  3. What tool did you use or how did you set auto-adjusting start and end dates based on dependencies?
  4. How did you structure your projects?
    1. Issuetypes, hierarchies, etc.?
    2. Did you use sub-tasks OR checklists for things like Draft 1 of Deliverable A, Draft 2 of Deliverable A, Review of Deliverable A with Client, etc.? Or something else, like maybe statuses?
  5. How did you denote milestones (issuetype?, label?, custom field? etc)?

Starting to think it might be easier to revert back to Smartsheet for the project planning aspect but I feel like I am close to a good way to do this in Jira. 

Thanks!

1 answer

0 votes
Renata_Getint
Atlassian Partner
January 20, 2025

Hi there! 👋

What a thoughtful and detailed question—thank you for sharing! Managing ERP/WMS implementation projects in Jira, especially across multiple simultaneous workstreams, can indeed get complex, but it’s a challenge that Jira, combined with the right apps and setup, can handle beautifully.

Here’s a potential approach based on our experience at Getint (we specialize in cross-platform integrations and helping organizations optimize their workflows):

1. Jira Product

For your use case, a combination of Jira Software (for dev teams) and Jira Work Management (for PMO and operational work) works best. You can leverage Advanced Roadmaps (available in Jira Software Premium) to aggregate views, manage dependencies, and visualize progress across multiple projects.

2. Project Structure

Given the phases and workstreams you’ve outlined, we recommend sticking with multiple projects to ensure scalability and clarity. Each implementation project can be a separate Jira project, and you can link related projects or workstreams using:

  • Epics or custom issue types: Use Epics for larger deliverables or milestones that span multiple projects.
  • Cross-project boards: Create a board that pulls issues from all projects to give your consulting and integration teams a central view.
  • Project-specific templates: Set up reusable templates for common phases and workflows. Apps like Deep Clone are excellent here.

Alternatively, if you prefer to manage everything within one project, your hierarchical structure (Project > Phase > Story > Sub-task) works well but requires careful management to avoid clutter.

3. Visualization and Auto-Adjusting Dates

While native Jira doesn’t offer auto-adjusting start/end dates, here are some app recommendations:

  • Structure by Tempo: Great for building dynamic hierarchies and visualizing cross-project dependencies.
  • BigPicture: Excellent for Gantt charts, dependency management, and auto-adjusting schedules.
  • Advanced Roadmaps: Native to Jira Premium, allowing you to create an aggregated timeline view and manage dependencies.

These tools integrate seamlessly with Jira and can accommodate your cloning needs while maintaining dependencies.

4. Task Breakdown and Milestones

  • Sub-tasks vs. Checklists: For smaller, sequential tasks (e.g., Draft 1, Draft 2, Review), sub-tasks are more robust since they allow tracking and reporting at a granular level. If simplicity is key, consider apps like Checklist for Jira to add itemized lists within an issue.
  • Milestones: Use a custom field or labels to denote milestones. Alternatively, apps like BigPicture allow explicit milestone visualization in Gantt charts.

5. Integration Across Workstreams

To manage workstreams across different projects (e.g., dev work in a separate Jira Software project), ensure you’re using issue linking or cross-project Epics. For example:

  • Use automation rules to link issues between projects and update statuses automatically.
  • Use a single Advanced Roadmaps view or BigPicture program to bring it all together.

Closing Thoughts

Your approach is on the right track, and with the addition of the right apps, you can achieve a scalable, visual, and efficient project management setup within Jira. If you’d like tailored assistance or further recommendations, feel free to reach out—we’d be happy to help optimize your workflow!

Cheers,
Renata

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