How to add external user and limit his access to view and comment

[Sherri Netherby-Cox]

I have ONE external user and just need to add him to only be able to view and comment on ONE project.  I have the cloud version of jira.  I dont understand why this is so hard to do!  Can some kind soul please help?

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

It's only hard because the defaults are poorly implemented.

You have to remove his access in general, and then let him in to only the bits he should see.  The default setup in JIRA is based on the unfortunate and usually wrong assumption that users will need access to everything, and you have to unpick that setup before you can do users can only see one project.

If the user is a one-off, create a new "can log in group", put them in it, add the group to the "can log in" permission in "global permissions".  Remove the user from "jira-users" (This does mean all new users will go into the new group, but that's ok as you're not actually going to use it anywhere else).  Then, you can add your user to the role(s) in the project that let them view and comment (check the permission scheme)

If you're going to be doing this regularly, then you should do it properly - replace jira-users whereever you've used it with the lists of people and groups that should have access, making it nothing more than the "can log in" group.

[Sherri Netherby-Cox]

Ah Nic to the rescue !!!  Where would Atlassian be without you?   I did the first half - its the permissions/role part I am having the problem with.  Not too sure how to do that.  I created a role called external and I just want this person to be able to view and comment in that project only.  I will keep trying - I feel like I am missing something painfully obvious.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

You're nearly there

Your role will now exist in all projects, so the next step is go to your project and look at the "permission scheme".  You probably want to edit this so that it says "Browse: role(external)" and the same for comment.  Then, go back to the project and add the new user into the role of "external"

[Sherri Netherby-Cox]

Ok thats the problem.  My Role doesnt exist everywhere? I dont know why I cant wrap my head around this.

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Ok, that doesn't sound right.  If you go to admin -> system -> security -> project roles, what do you have listed?