Optimize Jira workflows: clone, move, and sync issues across Jira instances
Jira is an essential tool for many teams, offering flexible issue tracking and project management. As teams grow and Jira usage expands across departments or even external clients, you may find yourself needing to clone or move issues between projects — or even between separate Jira instances. With the introduction of the cloning and synchronization feature across different instances in our Elements Copy & Sync app, users can now clone, move and synchronize issues across different environments, breaking down the barriers between multiple Jira instances.
In this article, we’ll explore how to best leverage this feature, as well as discuss other cloning and moving methods available in Elements Copy & Sync to optimize your workflow.
Why you might need to clone, move and sync Jira issues using Elements Copy & Sync:
Cloning, moving and synchronizing issues can become a key part of your workflow for several reasons:
- Escalating tasks: A support issue raised in Jira Service Management may need to be passed to a development team working in a separate Jira instance.
- Cross-team collaboration: Different departments might have their own Jira environments, but need to share or escalate issues to ensure aligned efforts.
- Information access: Some users may not have permissions in the source Jira instance but need visibility or the ability to act on certain issues in their own environment.
- Parallel project tracking: Large organizations often use multiple Jira instances for different business units, and need to keep certain tasks or bugs synchronized across these different environments.
Jira’s built-in clone feature and move functionality already address many of these use cases within the same instance. However, with the new instance feature in Elements Copy & Sync, you can now easily replicate and sync issues between entirely separate Jira setups.
The power of remote instance cloning and synchronization
Traditionally, Jira’s cloning feature only worked within a single instance, limiting collaboration for organizations that operate across multiple environments. However, with Elements Copy & Sync, teams can now easily clone and move issues between different Jira instances, ensuring that critical tasks are seamlessly shared across systems.
In addition to cloning, Elements Copy & Sync offers powerful synchronization capabilities, allowing updates made to the original issue to be automatically reflected in the cloned issue. This synchronization can be configured to work in either a uni-directional or bi-directional manner, ensuring that both instances stay up-to-date and aligned, significantly improving collaboration and reducing miscommunication across different teams or regions.
Key benefits of remote instance cloning and syncing:
- Seamless cross-instance collaboration: Teams using different Jira environments can now work together without needing to manually recreate tasks or worry about lost data.
- Efficiency at scale: Reduce manual processes when sharing issues across departments or business units, especially for companies with multiple Jira environments.
- Preserving data integrity: Remote cloning ensures critical fields, attachments, and even comments are copied over to the destination Jira instance, maintaining a consistent information flow.
- Automatic synchronization: Any updates made to the original issue can be reflected in the cloned issue, keeping teams informed and reducing miscommunication. This synchronization can be either uni-directional or bi-directional, depending on your configuration needs.
How do cloning and syncing across instances work in Elements Copy & Sync?
Getting started with remote instance cloning in Elements Copy & Sync is simple, but there are a few key steps to configure it correctly:
- Select target Jira instance and project: When cloning an issue, the user can choose the target Jira instance and select the project where the cloned issue will be created. Note that if you want to enable cloning and bi-directional synchronization, the app must be installed on both instances.
- Field mapping and workflow synchronization: During the cloning process, field mappings need to be configured to ensure the correct data is copied. You can also enable synchronization, which will ensure any changes to the original issue are reflected in the cloned issue.
- Cloning attachments and comments: You can choose to clone attachments, comments, and other issue links, ensuring that the cloned issue carries all relevant information.
Use case: Escalating issues across instances
Imagine your company has two separate Jira instances — one for your support team (Jira Service Management) and another for your development team (Jira). When a customer raises a bug on the service desk, this issue needs to be escalated to the development team for further action.
Here’s how remote instance cloning can help:
- A customer submits a bug on the Jira Service Management instance.
- The support agent reviews the issue and, using the remote instance clone feature, creates a clone of the issue in the Jira Software instance where the development team operates.
- The issue is automatically linked and synchronized to the original issue, allowing for real-time updates between support and development teams.
- Comments, attachments, and field updates are synchronized between the two instances, ensuring no information gets lost or outdated.
This seamless transition allows both teams to focus on their tasks while ensuring that the customer’s issue is handled efficiently and transparently.
Best practices for managing remote instance cloning
Managing cloning processes effectively is crucial to avoiding data errors. Here are some best practices:
- Set up clear field Mappings: When cloning across instances, make sure the fields in the destination project are mapped correctly to avoid data loss or mismatches.
- Limit access for cross-instance cloning: To reduce the risk of errors, ensure that only the necessary roles or teams have permission to clone and move issues across instances.
- Sync key information only: Not every detail needs to be cloned. Configure cloning settings to only include essential fields, attachments, or comments to avoid clutter and confusion in the destination project.
- Test in a staging environment: Before rolling out cross-instance cloning across your entire organization, test it in a staging environment to identify any configuration issues or gaps in permissions.
- Monitor and adjust permissions: As your team grows or the organization evolves, keep an eye on who has the ability to clone and move issues between instances. Regular audits of permissions can prevent potential security or data integrity issues.
The remote instance cloning feature within Elements Copy & Sync is a game-changer for organizations that operate across multiple Jira environments. Whether you need to escalate issues between teams, manage cross-departmental workflows, or keep stakeholders informed across instances, this new capability ensures that data flows seamlessly between environments.
By combining remote instance cloning with best practices, you can streamline issue tracking, improve collaboration, and reduce manual workload, all while maintaining data integrity across your Jira instances.
Now is the time to take advantage of Elements Copy & Sync and this new feature and unlock the full potential of your Jira setup!
New to Elements Copy & Sync? Start your 30 days free trial :
You want to know more ? Deep dive on our copy & sync documentation : how to copy and sync issues to remote instances?
