Connecting a Jira cloud instance

IMPORTANT

To use additional Jira Clouds you need to:

• connect them to BigPicture (you can do it in App Configuration or directly in one of the Boxes)
• add them to the scope of your Boxes

Before you proceed

WebHooks

App

BigPicture must be installed on the Jira Cloud you are going to connect (secondary Jira Cloud) with.

BigPicture and BigPicture Enterprise must be installed on the primary Jira Cloud. 

Technical user (used for authentication - secondary Jira Cloud)

The authentication is performed through a Jira user.

Recommendation: create a separate Jira user for this purpose (an account that isn't used by an actual person, but serves just this purpose). This user account needs to have Jira admin permissions (secondary Jira Cloud).

API Token

Note: this is sensitive security information. Access to the API token should be limited.

The token needs to be generated from a technical user account (see above). 

1. Set up a new user account in the secondary Jira Cloud.
2. Grant the Jira admin permissions to the technical user.
3. Log in as a technical user into the secondary Jira Cloud.
4. Go to Manage Account > Security > Create and Manage API Tokens.
   
5. Create an API token (see the following link).
6. Copy the token.

If someone else is setting up the additional Jira Cloud connection, provide them with the token.

Required fields information

To set up a connection you will need:

• an API token (must be generated from the technical user account (see above))
• BigPicture endpoint URL link
• base URL of the secondary Jira Cloud
• e-mail address of the secondary Jira Cloud user (authentication of the connection - see above) 

Connect Jira Cloud to BigPicture

App configuration

1. Open the drop-down menu (wrench icon at the top right) and select "Integrations" from the list. Make sure you're in the "Connections" tab.
   
2. Click "Add new connection".
   
3. Select "Jira Cloud".
   
4. Fill in the information and click next:
   
5. Provide the BigPicture endpoint URL and check the boxes: 
   
6. Click "Connect".

Box scope definition

1. Add new integration.
   
2. Open the selection dropdown.
   
3. Select "Jira Cloud" from the list.
   
4. Open the "connection" dropdown.
   
5. "Add new connection".
   
6. Fill in the information and click next:
   
7. Provide the BigPicture endpoint URL and check the boxes: 
   
8. Click "Connect".

Result - Box scope

1. Add new integration.
   
2. Open the selection dropdown.
   
3. Select "Jira Cloud" from the list.
   
4. Open the "Connection" dropdown and select the Jira Cloud connection.
   
5. Click "Add".

Data from the additional Jira Cloud can be added to the scope. 

After Jira Cloud is connected, the following features are available:

• Scope definition - you can base the scope on Jira Cloud projects from the additional connection
• You can add the fields from connected Jira Clouds to column views/card views
• You can define the structure builders for the additional Jira Cloud connections
• Field mapping of the connected Jira Clouds can be managed in App Configuration 
• Dependencies mapping of connected Jira Clouds can be set in App Configuration

Additional requirements:

The app works properly when connected Jira Cloud is valid.

Constraints

• Task creation → you can't use BigPicture to create tasks in the additional Jira Cloud. When you add tasks, they are added to the primary Jira. 
• Task grouping (using the "status" field) → tasks from two different Jiras can't be grouped into unified groups.
• Task report → doesn't allow for use of Jira fields from the additional Jira Cloud.

Additional configuration

Field mapping and dependency mapping of the newly connected Jira Cloud are empty and need to be set up.

You can use the matching BigPicture fields of the secondary Jira Cloud or use different fields for mapping. The only requirement is that you create a mapping.

All fields you want to use for mapping must be added to your Jira projects. Otherwise, the BigPicture app won't be able to update them.

• You can't use the 'not synchronized' option for the secondary Jira Cloud
• BigPicture fields are not automatically added to the secondary Jira Cloud screens

BigPicture custom fields

Are you using custom fields created by the BigPicture app? You can use matching fields for the secondary Jira Cloud.

During the app installation, additional custom fields were created on the Jira instance. You can find them in the Jira Settings of the primary instance ("Custom fields").

You can use the matching custom fields on the secondary Jira Cloud or use different fields for mapping.

Fields used for mapping must be added to Jira screens

1. Go to the 'custom fields' list.
2. Find the field.
3. Associate to screens.
   
4. Select the 'screens' by ticking the boxes and 'update'.
   

Dependencies

Link types can be found, added and configured in the 'issue linking' section of Jira administration.