How to use Jira's Priority field in Foxly calculation
When managing backlog prioritization in Jira with Foxly, teams often encounter a need to include Jira's native Priority field in their Foxly scoring formulas, such as RICE calculations. Since Jira’s Priority field is not numeric, it cannot be directly used in Foxly’s formula editor like Severity or Urgency. However, by mapping the Priority field with a new, numeric format custom field, teams can seamlessly integrate Jira Priority into Foxly’s prioritization process. This article walks you through the step-by-step process to achieve this, enabling you to leverage existing Jira priorities and Foxly's robust scoring capabilities.
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Step 1: Create a numeric custom field in Jira
The first step is to create a new numeric custom field in your Jira instance to represent the Priority values numerically. For example, name the custom field Priority_number.
Step 2: Populate the Custom Field for Existing Issues
If you already have tickets with a Priority set, you need to manually update the newly created Priority_number field using Jira's Bulk Change feature. This step ensures that your existing data is aligned with the new field. Although this is a one-time effort, it is essential for maintaining consistency.
Mapping Priority Values
For clarity, you can define a mapping between the Jira Priority field and numeric values:
Lowest = 1
Low = 2
Medium = 3
High = 4
Highest = 5
Example Execution
Use the JQL to filter tickets by each priority value and perform a bulk update for the Priority_number field.
Run the JQL query for priority Medium in Jira.
Perform a Bulk Change to update the Priority_number field with the value 3.
Example Screenshot:
Repeat this step for all priority levels.
Step 3: Automate Synchronization Between Fields
Set up automation rules to keep the Priority_number field synchronized with Jira’s Priority field for new and updated tickets.
Configure Automation Rules
Priority → Priority_number
Trigger: Field value changed → Priority
Condition: Use an If/Else-if statement for each priority value. For example:
If Priority = Medium
Action: Update the Priority_number field with the corresponding numeric value.
Set Priority_number = 3
Repeat this setup for each priority value: Lowest, Low, Medium, High, Highest.
Ensure no one puts different values in the Priority_number field than then ones that you mapped with Priority field. There’s no out-of-the-box feature for this in Jira, but you can use the Jira automation. This is an example for the configuration where Priorities are mapped to values 1-5:
This automation will clear the Priority_number field if someone changes it manuall to a value lower than 1 or greater than 5.
Step 4: Add the New Metric to the Foxly Template
Once the Priority_number field is ready and synchronized, add it as a new metric in your Foxly prioritization template:
Navigate to Foxly > Customize.
Add a new metric:
Type: Number
Source: Link to Jira field: Priority_number
Example Screenshot:
Final Result
With this setup, Foxly will now include the Jira Priority field as part of your prioritization formula. The score will automatically recalculate whenever the Priority field is updated.
Example Final View:
By following these steps, your team can seamlessly integrate Jira's Priority field into Foxly's scoring calculations, ensuring a consistent and automated prioritization process across your backlog.