[Data Loss] Jira Cloud Projects Disappeared After Project Import

[Hyoeun kim]

I encountered a critical issue while trying to migrate a team project between Jira Cloud instances:

Current Situation:

- All projects except the newly imported one have disappeared

- Lost Premium plan access that was previously available for free

- Currently on Free plan with limited support options

Steps that led to this issue:

1. Had a team Jira account and company Jira account

2. Attempted to migrate team project to company account

3. Imported backup file to company account

4. After import, all existing projects disappeared

Questions:

1. How can I recover the lost projects?

2. What are the immediate steps I should take to minimize damage?

3. Is there a way to restore the previous state of the instance?

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated as this is affecting our company's operations.

[Daria Kulikova_GitProtect_io]

Hello @Hyoeun kim and welcome to the Atlassian Community! 

If there's an option to check the original instance or backup files for missing projects, it's worth doing so. Though, first, maybe it's worth contacting the support team to find out if they can help you solve your issue: https://support.atlassian.com/contact/#/ 

In the case of data migration, it's always better to verify backup consistency before actual migration, that can help to avoid data loss. If you're looking for a reliable backup solution, take a look at GitProtect backup for Jira Cloud: https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1228719/gitprotect-io-for-jira-backup-restore-dr-data-management?hosting=cloud&tab=overview 

Regards,

Daria

[Anahit Sukiasyan]

Dear @Hyoeun kim

Welcome to the community!

To recover the Lost Projects, you can try to:

a. Check for Projects in Trash (Cloud Recycle Bin):

• Navigate to Projects > Trash in the Jira settings. If the projects were deleted during the import process, they might be recoverable from the trash within 60 days.

b. Verify Backup Restores:

• Check whether the backup file used during the import overwrote all existing data. Unfortunately, Jira Cloud's restore process replaces data entirely, meaning any projects not in the backup file would have been overwritten.
• Confirm if you still have a fresh, pre-import backup of the company Jira account. This would be critical for recovery.

In order to Minimize Damage, you can try to:

a. Prevent Further Changes:

• Stop all activities on the affected instance to prevent overwriting or further issues.
• Inform your team of the situation to avoid accidental data creation or edits.

b. Gather Information:

• Check audit logs for the exact actions during and after the import (e.g., deletions, changes).
• Note the names and details of the missing projects for future recovery steps.

c. Verify Plan Subscription:

• Losing access to the Premium plan might have been caused by moving to a different Jira instance or account ownership changes. Confirm which account was tied to the Premium plan and check its status via Billing > Manage Subscriptions.

d. Export Current Data:

• If you still have any visible projects or data, export them immediately as a backup (CSV or JSON).

Hope this will be helpful!