Top 13 Jira Plugins and How to Start Using Them | Contegix

1. ScriptRunner

Overview

ScriptRunner provides more advanced automation features at the cost of some additional complexity. You can use ScriptRunner to customize default Jira workflows, behaviors, and form fields using Groovy, an open-source scripting engine. ScriptRunner is also great for building custom reports using advanced Jira Query Language (JQL) functions, keywords, and subqueries. Representational State Transfer (REST) endpoints enable integration with Jira apps like Tempo as well as external tools.

Many scripts are readily available for common use cases, and you can leverage Groovy to build custom scripts that replicate your specific business process flows within Jira as well. For example, you can change the way your Jira dashboard looks by adding your choice of fields, create a custom sequence of forms with scripted conditions and validators, and enforce data entry and transition rules.

Pricing

ScriptRunner is available for Jira Cloud and Data Center, although some of its features are unavailable for Jira Cloud users.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• Free for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $2.50 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $360 per year for 50 users
• $705 per year for 100 users

 

2. JSU Automation Suite for Jira Workflows

Overview

JSU Automation Suite is a script-free workflow automation app. It helps automate repetitive tasks and synchronizes data across related issues for consistency. Admins can use JSU to set preconditions that must be fulfilled before executing post functions — a way to define additional processes that must be performed during a transition.

JSU provides some other useful functions as well:

• Create mandatory, custom fields in workflows
• Prevent users from working on issues that are not in the current sprint
• Clone issues based on templates
• Connect various workflows together
• Create a linked issue automatically
• Activate post functions on issue creation

Pricing

JSU is available for Jira Cloud and Data Center.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• Free for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $1.19 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $150 per year for 50 users
• $375 per year for 100 users

 

3. BigGantt

Overview

BigGantt provides a Gantt chart that is integrated with Jira and automatically reflects updates to issues. Its drag-and-drop interface lets users easily visualize timelines and resource dependencies. BigGantt helps users track due dates and statuses, and it can automatically generate work breakdown structures. In addition, with the help of another Jira plugin called BigTemplate, BigGantt content can be exported to MS Excel and MS Project.

Pricing

BigGantt is available for users of Jira Cloud and Data Center.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• Free for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $1.50 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $750 per year for 50 users
• $1450 per year for 100 users

 

4. eazyBI Reports and Charts for Jira

Overview

Jira contains an exhaustive repository of project information that can be mined for business intelligence using eazyBI. eazyBI can generate reports and charts to visualize the rich data in Jira, and it can also embed that data in dashboards for regular monitoring. The drag-and-drop report builder makes creating these visualizations straightforward. Available visualization types include tables, scatter plots, and bar, line, and pie charts.

eazyBI lets users analyze external data from Confluence, Google Sheets, SQL databases, and other sources together with data from Jira. Users can also create interactive visualizations in eazyBI and examine the data underlying each graphic.

Pricing

There are versions of eazyBI for Jira Cloud and Data Center. 

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• $10 per month for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $2.50 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $900 per year for 50 users
• $1400 per year for 100 users

 

5. BigPicture

Overview

BigPicture is a project portfolio management (PPM) tool that lets you manage resources, risks, roadmaps, and tasks across multiple projects. In BigPicture, you can create and manage a collection of Jira projects called a program. The plugin’s dashboards provide valuable insights into cross-program dependencies based on information pulled from Jira projects.

Here are some of useful features offered by BigPicture:

• Create and manage tasks on the Gantt chart for multiple programs
• Visualize timeline overlaps between programs
• View resource dependencies and allocate work based on resource workloads and capacities
• Create a risk matrix that allows you to categorize and manage risks based on severity
• Create and share agile roadmaps with teams
• Use other features of Gantt such as work breakdown structures, visual editing of tasks, import and export features, and more

Pricing

BigPicture is available for Jira Cloud and Data Center. Certain features are absent from the Cloud version of the plugin.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• Free for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $4.31 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $2250 per year for 50 users
• $4200 per year for 100 users

 

6. Structure

Overview

Structure is another PPM tool that is ideal for organizations with a multitude of Jira projects. Its visual approach makes it easy for project managers to take a comprehensive look at ongoing projects and analyze cross-project dependencies.

At Structure’s core is the idea that users can configure hierarchies to organize how they view projects and issues in Jira. Structure then depicts all the issues in a spreadsheet view using the configured hierarchies and updates them in real time. This makes it possible to manage and track hundreds or even thousands of ongoing issues in Jira.

Pricing

Structure offers versions for Jira Cloud and Data Center. Users can also test out Structure on its Sandbox Server for free.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• $10 per month for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $2.78 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $1455 per year for 50 users
• $2645 per year for 100 users

7. Email This Issue

Overview

Email This Issue (JETI) provides Jira users with a variety of handy email functions. Its titular feature allows users to email issues from within Jira, without the need to switch to a separate email client. Emails can be sent to specific types of recipients within Jira, such as assignees or reporters, as well as any external email address. Users can also track emails related to specific issues and automatically send notifications when specific events occur or upon workflow transitions. JETI even facilitates the creation of custom email forms with its robust template features.

Pricing

JETI is available for Jira Cloud and Data Center.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• $10 per month for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $2 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $600 per year for 50 users
• $800 per year for 100 users

 

8. Zephyr Scale

Overview

Zephyr is a robust test case management tool that lets users create test plans and link them with specific Jira issues and types. The app has a folder structure with a logical grouping of tests within cycles. These test cycles can be scheduled ad hoc or in a structured manner.

Zephyr offers many other features as well:

• End-to-end traceability connecting the dots between user requirements, tests, and defects all in one system
• Simplified gathering of metrics on test data using Jira Query Language (JQL) and Zephyr Query Language (ZQL)
• Customization of Jira dashboards to display metrics such as top defects, test execution progress, results, and more
• Multi-language support for test cases
• Integration of behavior-driven development, automation, and test management with tools like Cucumber for Jira, TestComplete, Selenium, and Junit

Pricing

Zephyr is available for Jira Cloud and Data Center.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• Free for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $5.11 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $3606 per year for 50 users
• $6011 per year for 100 users

 

9. Git Integration

Overview

Git Integration brings together Jira and the Git code repository so that developers and reviewers need not switch between the two applications. The plugin supports all Git servers including GitLab, GitHub, Azure Repos, AWS CodeCommit, BitBucket, and Beanstalk.

With Git Integration, you can view code commits, branches, tags, and pull requests inside Jira. For instance, when you open a Jira issue, you can easily view the corresponding code changes. Code reviews can be done from within Jira itself, which makes the development process quicker and seamless.

Git Integration provides some other useful functions as well:

• Performs smart commits to Git repository from Jira, making changes to a Jira issue such as adding comments or adding a fix can automatically trigger commits
• Searches Git commits with JQL
• Allows users to directly view files, compare branches, manage branches, and pull and merge requests, all from Jira’s issue view

Pricing

Git Integration has versions for Jira Cloud and Data Center.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• $10 per month for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $2 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $1025 per year for 50 users
• $1755 per year for 100 users

 

10. SAML Single Sign On (SSO) Jira

Overview

Managing multiple user and group accounts can be cumbersome for Jira admins. SAML SSO Single Sign On (SSO) Jira offers single sign-on authentication by integrating your Jira apps with other identity providers (IdP) like Microsoft ADFS, Azure AD, G Suite, Salesforce, OneLogin, Auth0, and Okta. Admins can delegate authentication to respective IdPs but route all of them through SAML SSO. After users are verified against the IdP, they can access Jira apps without the need for a password.

Additional features include the following:

• Just-in-time user and group provisioning
• Automatic synchronization of user and group data from IdPs
• Quick setup and configuration through a wizard
• Easy import of metadata from IdPs
• Ability to send signed SAML requests and receive encrypted responses
• Single logout from all apps, consolidated through the IdP
• Easy to troubleshoot errors through authentication trackers

Pricing

Users on Jira Data Center can take advantage of SAML SSO.

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $825 per year for 50 users
• $1650 per year for 100 users

Another useful SAML plugin is Kantega SSO Enterprise. It offers easy setup of SAML, OpenID Connect and Kerberos. It’s designed for easy setup and diagnostics and offers support for user provisioning. It integrates seamlessly with existing user directories.

 

11. Tempo Timesheets

Overview

Tempo Timesheets helps track the time spent on projects within Jira. You can use it to log work in multiple ways, like integrating with Google Calendar or Office 365 Calendar to synchronize your activities automatically and account for vacations and other activities. Managers can easily access team members’ timesheets and approve or reject them in bulk. Tempo is also an excellent source of data for creating reports, understanding where time is spent, and improving productivity.

Pricing

Tempo is available for users of Jira Cloud and Data Center.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• $10 per month for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $4.12 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $1925 per year for 50 users
• $3850 per year for 100 users

 

12. Deep Clone

Overview

Simplify your project management tasks with Deep Clone for Jira – the ultimate solution for smooth issue replication. Explore a range of powerful features:

• Clone up to 100,000 issues at once
• Move issues across project types
• Clone Jira issues between different cloud instances
• Clone epics along with their tasks and subtasks, keeping your project structure intact
• Clone statuses, comments, forms, work logs, attachments, issue links, and more
• Create presets for common cloning actions, saving time on repetitive configurations
• Clone entire issue trees, including initiatives and layers within Portfolio, for comprehensive replication.

Pricing

Deep Clone is available for users of Jira Cloud.

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• Free for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $0.99 per month for each user up to 100 total

 

13. Microsoft 365

Overview

Experience the two way synergy of Jira and Microsoft through Microsoft 365 for Jira by yasoon. Microsoft 365 enables users to seamlessly intertwine Outlook, Teams, and To Do within Jira for enriched collaboration, engage with issue-linked emails, converse effortlessly through Teams chat, arrange Outlook or Teams meetings, and synchronize Outlook calendars, operate on issues within a familiar setting, stay organized using Microsoft To Do, and expedite communication by transforming emails into Jira issues. Elevate teamwork, streamline operations, and heighten productivity with Microsoft 365 for Jira.

Pricing

Microsoft 365 is available for users of Jira Cloud and Data Center

Jira Cloud Pricing:

• Free for up to 10 users
• If more than 10 users, $3.00 per month for each user up to 100 total

Jira Data Center Pricing:

• $2500 per year for 50 users
• $4000 per year for 100 users