Azure Devops to JIRA Migration nightmare

[Beatriz Figueiredo]

Hello community! I've been leading/hands-on a migration project from ADO to JIRA. I knew this would be - at some point - a complex project, but I had no idea how painful this would be. I researched in the community and utilized AI to assist me in planning my project, but unfortunately, I couldn't find much rich documentation. I started with the .CSV file option, but quickly understood this is the worst option as it doesn't support HTML format or screenshots. Also, .CSV files won't allow import work items links. So, we decided to subscribe to TFS4JIRA recommended on the Atlassian marketplace. We are very disappointed with this APP (that is not cheap at all). It's confused, poor documentation and an inefficient helpdesk support.  Has anyone in this community gone through this process and been able to offer valuable tips? 

Thank you so much.

Beatriz.

[Rajat Pratap Singh · Accepted solution]

I found there is a standalone enterprise migration tool (not a plugin) that can help with Azure DevOps to Jira migration.
You can have a look at it here: https://www.opshub.com/migrations/migrate-to-jira/ 

[Beatriz Figueiredo]

Thank you Rajat. I was able to complete the migration using TFS4JIRA. After getting a dedicated support consultant helping me, the app worked successfuly. 

[Ankita Mehta]

Hi @Beatriz Figueiredo 

Thanks for bringing this up — you're highlighting pain points that many teams quietly struggle with during ADO to Jira migrations. Before starting the migration, it’s important to think through how the data will be structured and used once it's moved. Here are a few things to consider:

• CSV is a quick start but super limited.: Like you said—no HTML support, images get dropped, and links between work items don’t come through at all. It’s good for basic fields but breaks fast once real-world data gets involved.
• Link mapping is a big one : Azure DevOps supports multiple link types (parent/child, related, tested by, etc.). Without custom handling, Jira might just flatten or skip those entirely.
• Field mismatches cause surprises: Fields like Area Path, Iteration Path, or test-related artifacts don’t always map 1:1 in Jira. It can leave you with odd labels or missing context unless you prep for it.
• Attachments, comments, and history need special attention: Some tools handle these inconsistently—or skip them altogether—so people only find out something’s missing after the migration.
• Test everything in a sandbox first: No matter what tool you’re using, a dry run with real sample data helps spot formatting, mapping, and volume issues early.
• Expect cleanup: Even with a good tool, there’s almost always a round of cleanup after the first few imports—renaming statuses, fixing links, re-tagging items, etc.

If you are exploring options for handling a large project with complex relationships and audit trails, you might want to look into OpsHub Migration Manager (OMM). It's an Atlassian Solutions Partner tool designed specifically to support zero-downtime, non-disruptive migrations, which could be helpful if maintaining continuity and data fidelity is important for your team

Drop us line if you want a personalized demo or have any questions to ask.

Hope it helps!