Automating Task Management in Jira with Elements Connect Cloud and Azure AD
In IT Service Management (ITSM), having the right information readily available can make or break a team’s efficiency. This becomes even more critical when tasks need to be prioritized based on user-specific details like location or department. Unfortunately, today we are still seeing many organizations rely on manual processes to handle this, which can often lead to delays, errors, and frustration.
If this rings a bell to you, keep reading. In this blog, you will learn how combining Elements Connect with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) can transform task assignment, improving accuracy and streamlining workflows within Jira Service Management (Atlassian JSM).
The Pain of Manual Processes
Let’s bring this to life with a real-world example!
Picture yourself working for a global organization with multiple office locations. Your support team relies on Jira Service Management to track and resolve issues, but key details about the user submitting the ticket—like their office location or department—are stored in Azure AD (Microsoft ENTRA ID) and not easily accessible in Jira.
When critical user information is unavailable, assigning tasks becomes chaotic. Teams are forced to manually search for data or request additional details, delaying resolutions and increasing the risk of errors. This problem intensifies as the organization expands, introducing more users and increasingly complex workflows.
So Why Does This Happen?
This issue stems from the inherent limitations of manual processes, which are prone to inefficiencies and errors. Searching for user data or waiting for additional details slows operations, frustrates both agents and users, and compromises SLA adherence. Over time, these delays and inaccuracies escalate into broader organizational challenges, such as reduced productivity, misaligned priorities, and difficulty scaling operations efficiently.
For instance, consider the challenge of sorting and assigning issues based on a user’s region or department manually—without automation. This often results in tickets being routed to the wrong team, creating backlogs and inefficiencies that disrupt workflows and breach SLAs.
Now let’s extend this idea to employee onboarding.
Imagine that a new employee is joining your company. The process requires multiple setup tasks: creating accounts, assigning devices, and granting access to tools (with manager approval). With user details scattered across systems, onboarding can rapidly become a time-consuming process filled with errors and delays.
Bringing Azure AD into Jira with Elements Connect Cloud
What if the solution was as simple as external source integration, like Azure AD (Microsoft ENTRA ID), directly into Jira? That’s where Elements Connect Cloud comes in.
Imagine transforming all those onboarding complexities or manual task assignments into an automated, seamless process. With Elements Connect, external data sources like Azure AD can be effortlessly integrated into Jira, enabling smarter workflows.
Connected Fields for Real-Time Data
One of Elements Connect’s standout features is the ability to create dynamic connected fields. These fields pull real-time data such as location, department, or reporting manager directly from Azure AD (Microsoft ENTRA ID) into Jira tickets. For instance, when onboarding a new employee, the system can automatically populate their department and manager details into the request, ensuring approvals and task allocations are accurate and require minimal manual input.
The flexibility of connected fields also allows users to select specific data points from external sources, tailoring the information to each request type or workflow. For example, during onboarding, IT agents can immediately access device assignment data, reducing errors and speeding up the process.
Streamlined Workflows and Automation
These integrations don’t just remove manual effort—they optimize workflows. Tasks like assigning issues to location-based queues or ensuring SLAs are adjusted based on a customer’s department are handled automatically. The result? No more bottlenecks, fewer errors, and faster task resolution.
With automation rules set to leverage Azure AD data, repetitive tasks like approvals or ticket routing are streamlined, freeing up time for higher-value activities. This improves overall operational efficiency and SLA compliance.
Customizable Data Display
Elements Connect Cloud also offers flexibility in how this data is displayed. With fully customizable templates, teams can control exactly what agents see and what stays hidden. For example, support agents handling requests can have a clean, focused view of only the data they need—like the type of equipment an employee is requesting for onboarding or the SLA priority tied to their department—eliminating distractions and confusion.
This customizable approach ensures that the application remains easy to use for agents, while still providing all the necessary information to resolve tickets efficiently.
Effortless Expansion
As organizations grow, the challenges of managing increasing user data and tasks amplify. Elements Connect scales effortlessly with your operations. By linking Azure AD (Microsoft ENTRA ID) to Jira, it ensures accurate data retrieval even as workflows become more complex, supporting not just onboarding but also asset management, SLA adjustments, and project prioritization.
Whether it’s managing employee onboarding, prioritizing customer requests, or customizing SLAs, Elements Connect and Azure AD work together to make Jira more than just a task management tool—it becomes the central hub for dynamic, intelligent decision-making.
4 Steps for Integrating Azure AD with Elements Connect Cloud
- Connect Azure AD (Microsoft ENTRA ID) to Elements Connect
The first step is to configure Azure AD as a data source within Elements Connect. This allows Jira to fetch real-time user attributes directly from Azure AD. Follow this guide for detailed setup instructions.
- Configure Connected Items in Jira
Create connected items in Jira to dynamically display user attributes (e.g., “Office Location,” “Manager”). Ensure these fields are linked to the Azure AD data source for real-time updates. - Add Fields to Request Types
Integrate the connected items into your Jira Service Management request forms. For instance, you can add an “Office Location” field to a “Request IT Help” form, making it visible only to agents.
- Automate Queues and Workflows
Use the dynamically fetched Azure AD data to create automation rules in Jira. For example, configure location-based queues that route tasks to the right teams based on the “Office Location” field.
Click here to check the complete tutorial on Elements Connect documentation.
Conclusion
Integrating Azure AD (Microsoft ENTRA ID) with Elements Connect revolutionizes task management in Jira Service Management. By ensuring external data integration and automating the retrieval of user attributes like location or department, your team can reduce errors, improve efficiency, and enhance SLA compliance.
Whether you manage a small IT support team or a large distributed workforce, Elements Connect ensures you have the tools to streamline workflows and focus on what matters most: delivering exceptional service.
Ready to take your ITSM workflows to the next level?
Try Elements Connect app for free and experience the difference firsthand on Jira.
