Integrating TWO Jira Projects so they can send tickets

[Marwa_Ibrahim]

I am tasked with figuring out a solution for the following: 

We have team 1 working on Project A on jira classic and a separate team 2 working on Project B on next gen, with two different admins for each respective projects. 

Team 1 gets a ton of ticket requests regarding pulling data from the analytics team. Each request that comes in is reviewed by the admin and is routed to the appropriated POC on each sub team in order to get the right type of support in gathering the requested data (Project A - a ticketing system for Analytics team). 

Team 2 is responsible for data sharing and governance specifically for data requests that will be shared externally by the sales/marketing teams (Project B - a ticketing system for external data request that have to adhere to specific company policies and guidelines). Basically, to vet the material that will be shared with external clients/stakeholders and does not require the gathering of the actual data itself. Also, this team is tasked with reviewing the ticket requests that team 1 gets to ensure that the data requested is not sensitive and meets the data sharing guidelines. 

Q: How do we integrate the two projects? Ideally, we would like for the ticket requests that are submitted in Project A to be automatically routed to Project B for initial review. Afterwards, if the request is approved by the data steward in Project B, we will like to route the ticket back to Project A and have the ticket sit in an approved column section so that it can then be assigned to the right sub-team (that will compile the requested data) and monitored by Project A's admin to usage. 

Again, please keep in mind that we are working with two different jira instances (classic and next gen). If need be we do not mind reverting the next gen back to classic to accomplish an integration between the two projects. 

[Roman Melnychenko]

Hi @Marwa_Ibrahim 

Next gen and a classic projects can be integrated using synchronization tool like exalate. You can automate your synchronization using JQL Triggers. I can show you in a live demo how this would work if you are interested or you can try it out yourself. You can find Exalate "here" on the Atlassian Marketplace

[Marwa_Ibrahim]

Hello @Roman Melnychenko this is GREAT! Just a quick question after integration of the two Jira projects, I'm I able to route tickets from the two projects? 

[Roman Melnychenko]

@Marwa_Ibrahim  I'm not really sure what you mean by route. Can you give me an example please?

[Marwa_Ibrahim]

Yes, @Roman Melnychenko let's say Project A (which is a ticketing system specific to a particular team) receives a ticket, can we send that ticket to Project B (another ticketing system owned by a separate team) to get worked on and then afterwards send it back to Project A so that it is finished there? 

[Roman Melnychenko]

@Marwa_Ibrahim  Yes. What will happen is. Project A receives a ticket. That ticket can be synchronized to a project B in another system for a different team to work on. After the job is done they can synchronize the data from ticket B back to ticket A.

[John Funk]

Hi Marwa - Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

Are you using Jira Service Desk for either project?

What if you created a single workflow that went through all of the steps you described. Then moved all of the issues from Project B to Project A and closed out Project B. Connect the new workflow to Project A and route the tickets through the workflow as you describe. 

You could use Automation For Jira to do auto-assigning of issues and auto-emailing where needed. Even auto-transitioning if need be!

What are your thoughts on that?

[Marwa_Ibrahim]

Hi John, 

We are not using Jira Service Desk for either projects since usage is only for internal employees. 

Also, we do not want to move all the issues from Project B to Project A and close out Project B because Project B is also used to document stakeholder feedback and escalation. This is sensitive information that we do not want to disclose outside of the data sharing and governance team. 

Do you have any other suggestions? 

[John Funk]

Okay - thanks for the clarification. Here's how we do that without any add-ons. 

We have a custom field for shared teams - they perform functions that the product team does not need a full time resource for. A good example for us is the Web Systems team. 

So if the custom field for Shared Team has Web Systems (like your Project B) in it, then the card will show up on Web Systems board to work, even though it is associated with another project (say Project A).

We use a shared workflow scheme between the two projects for that issue type (in our case the issue type is Systems Engineering). 

Then the filter for the Web Systems board looks like this: 

project = WS or ("Shared Team" = "Web Systems")

In your case for project B board: Project = B or "Shared Team" = B)

Obviously, you can call the custom field anything you want it to be. Just make it a single list pick type field. And you can put whatever values in your want for the pick items.

When Project A needs something from B, they put their value in the Shared Team field. Then it automatically shows up on Project B's board. When B is through, they move it to the next step and clear their name out of the Shared Team field. And it is good to go for Project A.

Does all of that make sense?

[Marwa_Ibrahim]

@John Funk this is very helpful. I think your answer may give us the resolution we need. I will pass it along to our Jira System Admins and an engineer from our tools team. 

How did you create the shared workflow scheme between the two projects?

[John Funk]

You simply attach the same workflow scheme to each project in their respective Project Settings.