Project Configurator and Configuration Manager migration process comparison

1. Access the app

You can access PCJ by clicking the cog icon > Manage apps. Then, you’ll find the app on the left-side menu.

You can access CMJ directly through the Jira Settings menu. In the top right corner, click on the cog icon, then select Configuration Manager.

2. Start a data export

Select Export projects on the left-side menu.

Select Snapshots > Create Snapshot on the left-side menu.

In CMJ, exports are called snapshots.

3. Select projects

Select one or more projects to include in the export. You can check the Select all projects box to include all projects.

Select one or more projects to include in the snapshot. You can use the Select all projects button to include all projects.

4. Export mode

Options include Configuration Only or Complete Project. This selection applies to all of the selected projects.

The snapshot types you can go for are:
- System Configuration Snapshot
- Project Configuration Snapshot
- Project with Issues Snapshot

5. Name your export file

The system generates a default filename, which can be changed by typing a new name in the Export Filename field.

You need to enter a name for the snapshot in the Name field.

6. Export issue attchaments

If you select the Complete Projects Export Mode, you’ll be able to choose between the following:

• Automatic option - adds all attachments to the export;

• Manual option - requires users to manually move the attachments before importing the projects.

If you’re going for a Project with Issues Snapshot, you’ll have the option to include issue attachments. If you want, there is also the option to move them manually.
Also, you can choose to include all or only some of the issues - determined by a JQL filter you set up.

7. Data export description

PCJ doesn’t have a Description field.

There is an optional Description field in CMJ. Use it to provide additional context and details about the snapshot.

8. Custom field export options

Choose whether to include all custom fields or only the ones used by the selected projects. Also, with the Only those used in projects (no values considered) option, PCJ will include all custom fields used in the exported projects regardless of whether they have values.

CMJ automatically includes all custom fields used in the selected projects.

9. User export options

Choose whether to include all users that have been referenced or mentioned in the selected projects or not.

CMJ automatically includes all users that have been referenced or mentioned in the selected projects.

10. Group export options

Choose whether to include all groups that have been related to the selected projects or not.

CMJ automatically includes all groups related to the selected projects.

11. Filter export options

Choose from a drop-down list of options that range from not including any filters to exporting all filters on the instance - None, Shared With All Users, Shared With Exported Projects, With All Users or With Exported Projects, All Shared Filters, and All Filters (Shared or Private).

You can check the Include Project Filters box to include all filters containing direct references to the selected projects.
You can also include additional filters that don’t reference the projects you've selected. Simply click the Next button until you arrive at the Filters screen.

12. Dashboard export options

Choose from a drop-down list of options that range from not including any dashboards to exporting all dashboards on the instance - None, Shared With All Users, Shared With Exported Projects, With All Users or With Exported Projects, All Shared Dashboards, and All Dashboards (Shared or Private).

CMJ doesn’t automatically include any dashboards in the snapshot.
You can include dashboards, even ones that are not part of the projects you've selected, by simply clicking the Next button until you arrive at the Dashboards screen.

13. Agile board export options

Choose from a drop-down list of options that range from no boards being added to all boards in the instance being included, regardless of their relation to the selected projects - None, Associated to Exported Projects, All Scrum, and Kanban Boards.

You can check the Include Project Boards box to include all agile boards containing direct references to the selected projects.
You can also include additional agile boards that don’t reference the projects you've selected. Simply click the Next button until you arrive at the Boards screen.

14. App data export options

By default, PCJ includes all app data related to the exported projects.

By default, CMJ includes all app data related to the exported projects.
You can choose which elements from each app to add or to leave out (based on the app vendor’s SPI approach). Simply click the Next button until you arrive at the Apps screen.

15. Save export

Before running the export, click Save Configuration to give your current selection a name and save it for future reuse.

After creating the snapshot, you will return to the Snapshots page. There all your snapshots will be saved so that you can download or reuse them as a template to recreate them.

16. Finish export

You can click the Export projects button to create the export zip file with all your current selections.

You can immediately click the Create button, and the snapshot will be made with your current selections. Alternatively, you can click the Next button to add more Filters, Boards, Dashboards, or Apps to it.

1. Access the app

You can access PCJ by clicking the cog icon > Manage apps. Then, you’ll find the app on the left-side menu.

You can access CMJ directly through the Jira Settings menu. In the top right corner, click on the cog icon > Configuration Manager.

2. Start a data import

Select Import projects on the left-side menu.

Select Deploy on the left-side menu.

3. File selection

Select the file type (XML or ZIP) you want to import and then upload it through the Configuration file field.

There are a few options to select from where you’ll be deploying your snapshots:

• From Current Instance

• From Linked Jira Instance

• From Snapshot File

4. Deployment mode

Depending on your chosen Project file type, you can deploy a Complete project or Configuration only.

Depending on the snapshot type:

• For project snapshots, you can choose between Merge Project or New Project.

• For system snapshots, you can choose between Merge Configuration or Restore Configuration.

5. Simulate an import

You can enable the Run a simulated import option to visualize all the changes that will be applied to your target instance before running an actual import.

The second step of the snapshot import process is the Analyze phase. There, you can view detailed information about all the changes that will be applied to the target Jira instance.

6. Create additional projects

You can enable the Create additional projects option to automatically create empty projects to cover any missing ones in the imported custom field configuration schemes.

CMJ only imports the projects selected for your snapshot. It won’t create new empty projects to cover for the missing ones in a scheme.
Users can assign existing projects in the target instance to these schemes, if needed, in the Analyze phase through the selective merge options.

7. Adapt custom field context

You can enable the Adapt Custom Field Context option to ensure the imported custom field configuration affect only the imported projects and not other projects that may exist in the target instance.

By default, CMJ makes changes that affect only the imported projects. This eliminates the risk of breaking your current instance configurations. However, you can change how the snapshot configuration is matched to the target instance configuration through the selective merge options in the Analyze phase.

8. Publish workflow changes

If you’re doing a Configuration only deployment, you can enable the Publish workflow drafts option to automatically publish workflow drafts created or changed during the import.

CMJ automatically publishes newly added workflows or existing ones that have been put in draft mode because of the changes made to them.

9. Import different Jira versions

If you’re doing a Complete project deployment, you can enable the Allow Data Input From Different Jira Versions option to import data from an earlier version of Jira.
The greater the difference in Jira versions between the source and target instances, the greater the likelihood of import inconsistencies and errors.

CMJ covers a wide range of Jira versions and it can automatically adjust your snapshot data to securely fit and deploy it to the latest version.

10. Skip specific configurations

You can use the multi-select list Skip configurations option to select the object types you want to ignore during import. This includes all project scope objects and global objects.

You can use the Advanced options to skip merging Project Roles, Versions, Components, Avatars, or Object Descriptions. However, CMJ doesn’t allow you to skip whole object groups like Filters or Schemes to avoid breaking any dependencies within the imported projects.
Any additional changes and skips you can do with the help of the selective merge options in the Analyze phase.

11. Save import configuration

Before running the import, click Save Configuration to give your current selection a name and save it for future reuse.

During the Analyze phase, you can download the changes you’ve made with selective merge as a file. You can then upload these changes in future snapshot import configurations.

12. Finish import

You can click the Import projects button to start the import process with all your current selections. When finished, you’ll see a summary screen with all the import results.

You navigate through the different phases using the Next and Back buttons. When you get to the final Deploy phase, your import process will begin. When finished, you’ll see a summary screen with all the import results.
This summary is also saved in the Audit page to give you a way to revisit past snapshot operations and inspect the configuration changes.