How do I let my Jira Software users see Jira Service Desk tickets ?

[Maxime L]

Hello there ! I need some help about projects permissions and support

I have the following configuration for my teams:

• 12 developers on Jira Software Cloud (Plan Standard) who maintain a backlog of features, bugs and technical tasks. They work on the SOF project.
• 3 customer support members on Jira Service Desk, creating bug tickets using the new Forms feature from there. They work on the CSM project.

I'd like:

• the 3 CSM be able to create and track bug tickets status through Jira Service Desk
• the 12 developers to be able to see the CSM project tickets on the SOF project backlog and boards.

What I've done so far is updating the SOF project backlog filter to include the CSM project in it.
It works for me as I'm an admin, but the other devs cannot see the tickets in the backlog.

For what I understand, if I want the developers to interact with the CSM tickets (see them in the backlog, update their status and comment them), I have to add the 12 developers in the CSM Project. It bothers me because it means I would be charged for 12 Jira Software users + 15 Jira Service Desk users.

I probably have something wrong here, what would you advise ?

[Jack Brickey · Accepted solution]

Hi @Maxime L , you simply need to give the SW members the necessary permissions (project settings > permissions). Generally you will give them Browse and comment permissions. I create a Collaboration group and add the appropriate members but you can use an existing role, e.g. Jira-software-users or whatever you have configured. 

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist- · Accepted solution]

You won't be able to let your developers transition service-desk issues, only agents can do that, but they can view and comment on them if you change the permissions on the service desk project.

All you need is to set up the permission for "Browse project" and "Comment" so that a role can do both (I usually use the "developer" role.  You could also use a group, or just "any logged in user" for the permission, but best practice is to use roles for this), then add the developers into the role in the project.

[Maxime L]

Thanks ! Do you know where I should set those permissions ? Is it in the Service Desk project or in the Site settings ?

EDIT: Found :)

[Maxime L]

Sorry for getting far from the original post but something feels wrong with that.

As you said, developers cannot update statuses. It feels like a big issue because the whole point of having CS teams and Dev teams on Jira is being able to reduce friction and information loss between client report, reproduction and code fixes.

How am I supposed to create a seamless CS-Tech process if the tech team cannot update the status of a bug created by the support ? What is the added value compared to external tools like Zendesk Connector or Salesforce ?

My need is, I think, pretty common: have a way for CS to report problems, have a way for tech team to track ongoing work, have a way for tech team to tell CS that the issue has been fixed. I can't believe Jira has no solutions for this 

[Jack Brickey]

Maxime,

You may wish to follow a process that many others including myself use. If there are development activities required associated with a JSM issue then use the create linked issue an automation. The idea here is to create a link issue in the development project where the work is to be done. All updates by the development team should be reflected in those issues. You can follow this up with automation to keep the JSM issue up-to-date as well. I also use automation when creating the linked issue by leveraging a Development status. When the JSM agent moves the issue into Development they are presented with the Component field where they must choose which development project the linked issue will be created in.

[Maxime L]

Thank you for your elaborated reply Jack

I didn't know automations could be cross-projects. I'll give it a try :)

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

>How am I supposed to create a seamless CS-Tech process if the tech team cannot update the status of a bug created by the support ?

Separate the processes.  Your Service Desk is there to help people get stuff fixed, and your development teams are there to build new stuff.  The processes of getting those two things done are going to be totally different.

The trick is linking.  The standard model that Atlassian have for this case is that you have your developers happily building new stuff, using a Scrum or Kanban board to see what they're doing, and your Agents talking to customers and fixing stuff for them.  There are going to be times when an Agent can't fix it for the customer (the usual example is "customer reports new bug in code"), so the Agent uses "create linked issue" to dump a development item in the developers projects.  The two issues are linked, and when the developers get it done, they would tell the agent there's something to tell the customers.

Another way to think of it is that a Service Desk project is a stream of "requests", which are communication points with a customer about getting something done, whereas a Software project is a pile of "make it so" items.  A request can lead to a "make it so", but you don't turn the request into one, because you obviate the communication with the customer if you do!

[Nic Brough -Adaptavist-]

Ah, Jack beat me to it.  Sorry!

[John Funk]

Hi Maxime,

First, remember that Jira Service Management projects are more about being a help desk and devops. They are not designed for software development. 

Having said that, any user that needs to do any update to an issue in a JSM project at all, outside of adding comments, MUST be a JSM Agent. Yes, that means extra licenses. 

So, how can you get around that for the developers? What we have done is to create an Automation Rule that clones the JSM issue when created into the Jira Software project. You can link the tickets so that they stay in sync if you like, but you can at least have a reference to each other. 

Then your developers work in the same project they do now.