How to configure Product field synchronization in a Feature between Jira Align and Jira

Summary

In Jira Align a Feature can have a Product Field included in the Details Panel. Once included, this field is a required field. This article discusses how to configure the integration with Jira so that the Product field can be both seen and updated between Jira and Jira Align without seeing ongoing issues with synchronization.

Environment

Jira Align

Solution

The key phases to configure the Product Field in Jira Align for Synchronization into Jira (when synchronizing Features/Epics) are provided below - for specific details expand each section

Any steps performed in Jira itself relate to using Jira Cloud. If using Jira Server or Jira Data Centre, the exact steps may differ slightly but the general process will be the same.

A - Make sure the Product Field is enabled in your Jira Align Features

1. Go to Jira Align > Settings/Administration > Platform > Portfolio Specific Configuration (button)

2. Choose your Portfolio

3. Set Manage Products to Yes

4. Click Save Settings

B - Create your Products in Jira Align (and make a list)

1. Go to Jira Align > Product Management > View all products (or Products in the old navigation)

2. Use the + Add Product button to create one or more Products

3. Make a list of the names of all the Products created in Jira Align that will be involved in Programs that will be integrated to Jira Projects

C - Create a custom field in Jira and add a list of Products into this field

1. Go to Jira > Settings > Issues

2. In the left sidebar click Custom Fields

3. Click Create custom field (button)

4. Chose the Select List (single choice) option and click Next

5. Enter a Name and, if required, a Description

6. In the Options box enter a Product Name to match one of the products created in Jira Align (step B:3) and click Add

   ⚠️ To avoid confusion it is recommended that the entries in the Options List, for the field, in Jira are exact matches for the Products created in Jira Align.

7. Repeat step C:6 until all the Jira Align Products have been added into the Options List

8. Click Create

9. In the “Associate field <new field name> to screens” page, select all the screens (for Epics) that are used by Projects that will be integrated with Jira Align.

10. Clicking the Update button that is located at the very end of the Screens List

11. In the list of Custom Fields, find the newly created field, click … at the end of the row and then hover the mouse over Edit details.

12. Make a note of the numeric ID for the field that is displayed in a pop-up found at the bottom left of the screen

D - Add the ID for the new custom field into the connector settings in Jira Align

1. Go to Jira Align > Settings/Administration > Jira Settings > Jira Setup

2. Scroll down to the Custom fields section and locate the entry for Product custom field

3. Enter the numeric ID noted in step C:12 in the format customfield_###### (replacing ##### with the numeric ID)

4. Scroll down to click on the Save button

E - Configure the Product Mappings between Jira and Jira Align

1. Go to Jira Align > Settings/Administration > Jira Settings > Jira Setup

2. In the Custom fields section click the Configure link next to the Product custom field entry

3. Using the Add New button create a mapping entry for each Jira Product (steps C:6 & C:7) to be mapped to the appropriate Jira Align Product (step B:3)

4. Once complete click the Update button

Adjusting for future changes

If new Products are to be added later:

1. In Jira Align, follow section B above to create the new Products

2. In Jira, go to Settings > Issues> Custom fields

3. Find the custom field for your Products in the list and click on the Context(s) link in the middle of the row.

4. Click the Create, edit or delete contexts link

5. Click Edit Options and add new values for each of your new Products

6. Back in Jira Align, go to Settings/Administration > Jira Settings > Jira Setup

7. In the Custom fields section click the Configure link next to the Product custom field entry

8. Using the Add New button create a mapping entry for each of the new Products

9. Once complete click the Update button

If a new project is added to Jira that will be integrated to Jira Align

1. Go to Jira > Settings > Screens

2. Locate the screen that applies to the Epic in the new project and click on the name of that screen

3. Using the Select Field option located at the bottom of the page, add the Product field into the screen

4. Configure the Jira Connector in Jira Align for the new Project (as would be done for any new project)