Even though work management data can be synchronized with various tools, some organizations might need to export the data to a CSV, XLSX, or PDF file. Whether it’s driven by regulation or the desire to archive the progress at a given project stage, the Jira data export must be fast and straightforward. And it has to be transferred with complete accuracy.
But the flow of information goes both ways. Some tools may not support sufficient synchronization with Jira. In that case, one of the most popular workarounds is manually uploading the data in a CSV or XLSX format. This method is particularly helpful when organizations move to Jira from a similar tool and want to ensure the validity of the uploaded information.
If you’re looking for an easy way to import and export Jira data, Appfire’s BigTemplate will be a huge help.
BigTemplate – overview
What is BigTemplate? Simply put, it’s a tool that makes importing and exporting Jira and BigPicture data fast and easy. The app supports the most popular file formats, including PDF, DOC, XLS, CSV, and XML, among others.
The compatibility with a wide range of file formats means that your organization can transfer project data to and from software that’s not synchronized with Jira or BigPicture. As a result, users can quickly transfer project information to tools like Microsoft Excel, Word, or MS Project.
Thanks to templates, users control what data types get imported and how the data’s displayed in the file. Whether you want to modify the pre-made template to better suit your needs or create one from scratch, the app makes it easy.
Jira data export with BigTemplate
Our tool enables you to gather a wide range of information from any Jira issue. With the templates, you have complete control over which fields will be exported. The same applies to file formats. Here’s how it works.
Configure a template
First, create your template. It can be a text processor document, a CSV text file, or a spreadsheet. The visual aspect of the file is entirely up to you. Make the entire template from scratch or modify one of our predefined templates to speed up the process.
Next, select the Jira issue fields you want to export. For more information on how to do that, check out our documentation page. It’s worth noting that BigTemplate supports a wide range of both standard and custom Jira fields.
Once your template is ready, save it in the appropriate format. You’ll be able to view and modify it on BigTemplate’s App Configuration.
Then, upload the template file, and add the name and visibility. The latter sets whether the template will be available in a Jira issue window or BigPicture. Finally, use the “Set as global template” checkbox to make the template available to use in both tools.
Remember, you don’t have to create your own template to export Jira issue data. There are several pre-configured templates available in BigTemplate.
Find a Jira issue
Now, it’s time to export the Jira issue. Once you find it, open the issue details page, and the BigTemplate widget should be visible in the bottom right corner.
The BigTemplate widget in a Jira issue (bottom right corner).
With BigTemplate, you can export Jira issues regardless of their type: tasks, sub-tasks, bugs, and epics.
Pick the template and a format
The BigTemplate widget will display all the templates available in the tool. Simply choose the desired template and a target file format. Click the format box in the appropriate row, and the file will download. Now, you’re able to use the issue data in other tools.
But Jira data export is not the only ace up BigTemplate’s sleeve. On the contrary, the app enables you to export and import a much larger pool of data from our PPM tool — BigPicture.
BigPicture data export with BigTemplate
The Jira data export app also works seamlessly with our project portfolio management software. The integration enables you to transfer information about entire projects instead of a single Jira issue.
BigTemplate will quickly export the project data to a PDF or an XLSX file. The app supports Classic, Agile, and Hybrid initiatives. Let’s take a look at the BigPicture modules compatible with BigTemplate.
Gantt
Say you need to document the Work Breakdown Structure of your Classic project in an Excel spreadsheet. Are you going to recreate the entire hierarchy, the list of tasks, the progress, and the aggregations manually? No way! Instead, you can simply export the contents of the Gantt module of the project in question.
All you have to do is click the “Export” button and select the desired file format. Once the file is ready, it will start downloading automatically. In some cases, you can transfer the entire scope or a custom date range.
Here’s an example of an Excel spreadsheet with the exported data. In addition to the task names and key dates, it contains information about dependencies, issue types, status aggregations, and even the hierarchy of the elements of the scope. To put the cherry on top, the spreadsheet includes links to Jira issues. That provides quick access to the tasks if there is a need to see any other details.
Scope
Alternatively, you can export the contents of the Scope module. To make that happen, just add the desired columns to the project’s Scope view and click “Export.” In this case, BigTemplate will transfer the entire scope in one of the available formats, along with Jira data for each element as well as aggregated values for select fields.
The transferred categories are based on the columns displayed in the Scope module at the time of export. So, you’ll want to add the necessary columns in the Scope view in BigPicture to collect the fields you’re looking for.
Board
BigTemplate allows users to transfer relevant Sprint and Project Increment data to Excel. The exported data contains crucial information, like the Jira issue link, the number of incoming and outgoing dependencies, and where it fits in the board’s structure.
Additionally, file viewers will be able to see each task’s status and story point values. The list of transferred columns depends solely on the module configuration in BigPicture.
Interestingly, the document also transfers data for the items in the backlog, which enables you to get an even more comprehensive overview of the project.
Resources
BigPicture’s resource panel makes it possible for managers to visualize the workload and capacity of their project teams. Using BigTemplate enables them to transfer a complete set of information and retain its clarity.
Once the user chooses the date range and the team or individual view in BigPicture, it’ll be replicated in the exported file. For example, suppose a manager wants to transfer the resource information from the previous month. It’s as simple as choosing the appropriate date range in BigPicture before clicking the “Export” button.
Resources panel in BigPicture. In the example, the panel displays weekly capacities for entire project teams.
The same applies to teams or individuals. Select the view you’re looking for in the target file, and it will show data for the desired group as a whole or divide it by individuals.
The resources export features four data categories:
- Task workload: a list of all tasks assigned to a person or team in a given time period
- Workload: the number of hours allocated to a team or individual
- Remaining capacity: the allocated work subtracted from the availability of resources
- Capacity: the availability of a given resource in a specific time frame
An example of the Workload sheet displaying the allocation of tasks for all team members in a project.
The exported Resources data is color-coded to make navigating through cells filled with numbers easier.
Risks
BigPicture’s risk matrix visualizes any threats to the project by displaying them on a two-dimensional grid. Users can categorize the risks based on the level of severity and consequences. For those who want to send the risk-related data and see it in Microsoft Excel or MS Project, our exporting tool gives users the ability to do so.
The file can contain all relevant data regarding the threats to the projects. Columns like risk severity, consequence, and mitigation plan will provide clear information about the extent of the potential risks, as well as ideas to mitigate them. Additionally, the file can incorporate the name of the person assigned to the at-risk task and the link to the issue in Jira.
That’s the extent of BigPicture’s compatibility with BigTemplate regarding data export. But what about the opposite context: data import? After all, uploading information to a tool is just as important as extracting it in many cases. Let’s consider the import of task data to Jira.
Import task data from other tools to Jira and BigPicture
The BigPicture PPM tool uses Jira data and structures it, enabling managers of various levels to see the entire landscape of initiatives, programs, and portfolios. But Appfire’s tool can also use other sources of project management data. The addition of BigTemplate to your app stack makes that possible.
Use software like MS Project, Microsoft Excel, CSV, or OpenDocument to upload project data to BigPicture and Jira at the same time. It’s a handy feature, especially for teams that switch to BigPicture and need to transfer large amounts of data from other tools quickly and reliably.
How to import data to Jira and BigPicture using BigTemplate
Step one is to prepare the file. Once you do that, open BigPicture, click the plus icon in the top left corner and select the “Import task from file” option. You will be asked to upload the file and choose a Jira project where the new data will be imported. On top of that, BigTemplate will ask you to configure the fields displayed in both Jira and BigPicture.
The Jira data import configuration screen.
If the fields are mapped out correctly, BigTemplate will replicate the original structure of the project and outline all the soft dependencies between tasks. Furthermore, you’ll be able to make use of BigPicture’s complete functionality on the imported data. Whether it’s timeline management, capacity planning, resource management, project planning, reporting, or any other area of the app, the data will be synchronized and ready to be worked on in the PPM tool.
Seamless transition of project data between tools is crucial, especially in complex organizations. When teams work with multiple software tools, managers might struggle to transfer the data in a standardized and hassle-free manner. Apps like BigTemplate make work much easier for anyone who needs to import or export Jira data and maintain the cohesiveness of information across tools.
Test the app for yourself! Start a 30-day free trial and see how easy Jira data transfer can be.
