Hierarchy Synchronization - Cloud Native App

Overview

Azure and Jira have different approaches to item hierarchy.
While Jira allows for a three-level hierarchy (Subtask → Standard Work Item → Epic), Azure does not restrict the number of hierarchy levels, allowing for unlimited Parent-Child relations in a single hierarchy tree.
Visual representation of Azure hierarchy depends on the chosen process and is up to 4 levels.

Epics synchronization

In order to synchronize epics user has to check Epics synchronization checkbox in Configuration > Mappings > Hierarchy and map corresponding epic items in both systems.

Azure → Jira: When Parent/Child link is added to mapped work item for a mapped epic in Jira, there is EpicLink created between those work items.

Jira → Azure: When work item is linked to an epic there is Parent/Child relation link created in Azure.

Example

Configuration > Mappings > Types:

Configuration > Mappings > Hierarchy:

Azure → Jira: When Parent/Child link is added in Azure between Task and Epic such as Task is a child and Epic is a parent, then in Jira, there will be added EpicLink between corresponding Task and Epic.

Jira → Azure: When there is EpicLink added between Task and Epic in Jira, then in Azure, there will be added Parent/Child link between corresponding Task and Epic.

Subtasks synchronization

In order to synchronize subtasks user has to check Subtasks synchronization checkbox in Configuration > Mappings > Hierarchy and map corresponding work item type in Azure to subtask item in Jira.

Azure → Jira: When Parent/Child link is created in Azure from work item mapped to Jira subtask, there will be Jira subtask created.

Jira → Azure: When a subtask is created in Jira, a corresponding Azure work item will be created and it will be linked to its parent with a Parent/Child link.

Example

Configuration > Mappings > Types:

Configuration > Mappings > Hierarchy:

Azure → Jira: When Parent/Child link is added in Azure between Task and Issue such as Task is a child and Issue is a parent, then in Jira there will be a subtask of the corresponding Story created.

Jira → Azure: When a subtask inside Story is created in Jira, then in Azure, there will be Task with Patent/Child link to Issue created.

Emulating multilevel Azure hierarchy in Jira

Because Azure hierarchy can consist of more than three levels and Jira supports only three, in order to reflect more complex hierarchies, a relation link will be created. User can select what type of relation will be applied.

This can be done under Configuration > Mappings > Hierarchy.

This relation can link to either Epic (making this epic a child issue), Subtask (making this subtask a parent issue) or any work item in between.

When neither Epic nor Subtask synchronization is enabled, Multi-level-hierarchy synchronization section serves standard link synchronization only (with forced Parent/Child link on Azure side).

Example

Configuration > Mappings > Types:

Configuration > Mappings > Hierarchy:

Azure → Jira: When Related To link is added in Jira between Story and Feature (custom type), then in Azure, there will be Parent/Child link created between corresponding User Story and Feature.

Jira → Azure: When Parent/Child link is created in Azure between User Story and Feature, then in Jira, there will be Related To link added between corresponding Story and Feature (custom type).

Example configurations

Three-level Azure configuration (Basic Azure DevOps process)

Configuration > Mappings > Types:

Configuration > Mappings > Hierarchy:

Four-level Azure configuration (Agile Azure DevOps process)

Configuration > Mappings > Types:

Configuration > Mappings > Hierarchy:

(For custom link relates to)