Importing data from Bugzilla

The Jira Importers plugin, which is bundled with Jira, allows you to import data from Bugzilla by connecting to a live Bugzilla database.

Our main website highlights some top reasons why people migrate from Bugzilla to Jira. Version 4.1 or later of the Jira Importers plugin is compatible with Bugzilla 2.20 to 4.4.4. Users of older Bugzilla versions will need to first upgrade the Bugzilla database tables to a supported version, using Bugzilla's checksetup.pl script. The Jira Importers plugin requires that your Bugzilla database is MySQL, PostgreSQL or Microsoft SQL Server.

Jira is able to import data from Bugzilla 2.20 only if it's using a supported database.

Jira does not bundle the MySQL driver anymore. If the Bugzilla data is located in a MySQL database, follow the instructions in Connecting Jira to MySQL to install the MySQL database driver before attempting to import from Bugzilla

The Bugzilla import process consists of simply running the Bugzilla Import Wizard (below).

• You can choose to map individual fields and field values during the import process, some of which are mandatory.
• At the end of the Bugzilla Import Wizard, you will be given the option of creating a Bugzilla configuration file, which contains the settings you configured while running through the Bugzilla Import Wizard. This is useful if you need to test your Bugzilla import on a test Jira server first before performing the import on a production system.

Please note:

• Jira's character encoding is set to UTF-8 by default. If, however, your Jira installation's character encoding is set to something other than UTF-8, you may encounter problems with importing data from Bugzilla. For more information, please refer to JIM-5. Importing Bugzilla data into a non-UTF-8 Jira installation is not supported.

Running the Bugzilla Import Wizard

Before you begin, please back up your Jira data.

1. In your Bugzilla system, run the Bugzilla 'Sanity Check' to ensure your data is error-free.
2. Log in to Jira as a user with the Jira Administrators global permission.
3. Choose > System. Select Import & Export > External System Import to open the Import external projects page.
4. Select Bugzilla to open the Bugzilla Import Wizard: Setup page.
    

5. On the Bugzilla Import Wizard: Setup page, complete the following fields/options:

   Bugzilla URL	Specify the URL of your Bugzilla site. This is the URL you would normally use to access Bugzilla through a web browser.
   Specify credentials	Select this checkbox if you want to import Bugzilla issues into Jira, which require user credentials on your Bugzilla site to access them. Selecting this checkbox reveals/hides the Bugzilla Login and Bugzilla Password fields, into which you should specify these user credentials. If your Bugzilla site requires credentials and you do not specify them here, Bugzilla "Big File" attachments will not be imported.
   Database type	Select the type of database that your Bugzilla installation uses: PostgreSQL Microsoft SQL Server MySQL
   Hostname	Specify the hostname or IP address of the server running your Bugzilla site's database server.
   Port	Specify the TCP/IP port that the Bugzilla site's database server is listening on. This field is automatically populated with the default port value based on the Database Type you choose above.
   Database	Specify the name of your Bugzilla database (into which Bugzilla saves its data). This database name can usually be found in the 'localconfig' file in Bugzilla's root directory, for example, /etc/bugzilla/
   Username	Specify the database user that Bugzilla uses to connect to its database. This database user can usually be found in the 'localconfig' file in Bugzilla's root directory, for example, /etc/bugzilla/
   Password	Specify the password of the database user (above) that Bugzilla uses to connect to its database.  This password can usually be found in the 'localconfig' file in Bugzilla's root directory, for example, /etc/bugzilla/
   Use an existing configuration file	Leave this checkbox cleared if you do not have a configuration file or if you want to create a new configuration file. Configuration files specify a mapping between fields in Bugzilla and those in Jira.   Note: If you select this option, you will be asked to specify an Existing Configuration File. If you do not select this option, then at the end of the Bugzilla Import Wizard, Jira will create a configuration file which you can use for subsequent Bugzilla imports (for re-use at this step of the Bugzilla Import Wizard).
   JDBC connection parameters (in expanded Advanced tab)	The Bugzilla Import Wizard will construct a JDBC-based database URL from the Bugzilla database server details you specify above. Jira uses this URL to connect to and import issues from Bugzilla. If you need to specify any additional connection parameters to your Bugzilla database, specify them here. If you chose MySQL (above), the Bugzilla Import Wizard will add several additional connection parameters by default.

6. Click the Next button to proceed to the Setup project mappings step of the Bugzilla Import Wizard.

7. On the Setup project mappings page, select which Bugzilla projects you wish to import into Jira.
   All Bugzilla projects are selected by default, so clear the checkboxes under Import of the Bugzilla projects you do not wish to import into Jira.
   For Bugzilla projects you wish to import into Jira, click in Select a project and then do either of the following:
   
   • Start typing the name (or key) of a project that already exists in Jira or use the drop-down menu to select an existing Jira project.
   • Select Create New from the drop-down menu and in the resulting Add A New Project dialog box, type the following:
     
     1. A new project Name
     2. A new project Key
        This will be used as the prefix for all issue IDs in your Jira project.
     3. The Project Lead.
8. Click the Next button to proceed to the Setup custom fields step of the Bugzilla Import Wizard.
   This step will almost always appear because at least one Bugzilla field is not likely match an existing Jira field.
9. On the Setup custom fields page, for each External field  in Bugzilla which the Bugzilla Import Wizard cannot match to an existing Jira field, you can choose to either:
   
   • have the Bugzilla Import Wizard automatically create new custom fields in Jira based on the names of Bugzilla's fields. This is the default option - whereby the names of the Jira custom fields to be automatically created appear in the Jira field drop-down lists.
   • create your own custom fields in Jira to map data from Bugzilla's fields. To do this, choose Other from the Jira field drop-down list and specify the name of your custom field in the new field appearing immediately below Other.
     For more information about matching Bugzilla fields to Jira fields, see Tips for importing Bugzilla data into Jira fields below.
10. Click the Next button to proceed to the Setup field mappings step of the Bugzilla Import Wizard.

11. On the Setup field mappings page, if there External fields in Bugzilla whose values you wish to modify before they are imported into Jira, select the Map field value checkboxes next to the appropriate fields.
    Please note that it is mandatory to map Bugzilla's bug_status (i.e. Status) field to specific Jira Status field values as the Jira Status field is an integral part of Jira workflows.

    
    

    • Other External fields in Bugzilla which are likely to appear on the Setup field mappings page are:

      External field in Bugzilla	Not choosing the 'Map field value' checkbox
      login_name	The Bugzilla Import Wizard will automatically map Bugzilla usernames to Jira usernames (lowercase).
      priority	The Bugzilla Import Wizard will automatically create missing values in Jira and will ensure that the issues are migrated with the correct priority (e.g. "Normal" in Bugzilla to newly-created "Normal" in Jira).
      resolution	The importer will create corresponding Resolutions in Jira instead of using the existing ones.

    • Select the appropriate Jira Workflow Scheme in that will be used by the Bugzilla issues you will import into your Jira project.
      If you are importing your Bugzilla issues into an existing Jira project, ensure that you choose the Jira workflow scheme used by that existing Jira project.

12. Click the Next button to proceed to the Setup value mappings step of the Bugzilla Import Wizard.

13. On the Setup value mappings page, specify Jira field values for each Bugzilla field value (as detected by the Bugzilla Import Wizard).
    Any fields whose Map field value checkboxes were selected in the previous step of the Bugzilla Import Wizard will be presented on this page, including the mandatory bug_status Bugzilla field.

14. Click the Next button to proceed to the Setup links step of the Bugzilla Import Wizard.

15. On the Setup links page, specify the Jira link type for each Bugzilla link type (as detected by the Bugzilla Import Wizard). To learn more about Jira link types, see Configuring issue linking.

16. Click the Begin Import button when you are ready to begin importing your Bugzilla data into Jira. The importer will display updates as the import progresses, then a success message when the import is complete.
    
    Note:
    
    • If you experience problems with the import (or you are curious), click the download a detailed log link to reveal detailed information about the Bugzilla Import Wizard process.
    • If you need to import data from another Bugzilla product/project or site with the same (or similar) settings to what you used through this procedure, click the save the configuration link to download a Bugzilla configuration file, which you can use at the first step of the Bugzilla Import Wizard.

Congratulations, you have successfully imported your Bugzilla projects into Jira! If you have any questions or encounter any problems, please contact Atlassian support.

Tips for importing Bugzilla data into Jira fields

During the import process, the following data is copied from the Bugzilla database into Jira: