Tableau Connector for Jira: How to Connect Jira to Tableau - Update 2024

Jira is a tool for gathering workflow data even though it presents the information in a simple and unrefined format, like task completion times. Understanding how this data impacts your project and business is the real challenge. It is where Tableau comes into the picture, offering an interface that doesn't require any analytical or administrative experience.

How about Jira Tableau integration? The Tableau Connector for Jira is a top-notch solution that empowers users to explore and analyze Jira data through captivating visualizations. In this article, we'll simplify the process of integrating Tableau with Jira by providing step-by-step instructions. We'll cover use cases. Wrap up with illustrative dashboards of Tableau Jira examples. Ready to jump? Let's get started!

Managing projects simultaneously, sticking to timelines, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality products pose challenges for project managers. To simplify these complexities, managers often rely on tools like Jira, which Atlassian developed. Created to facilitate communication among developers, users, and testers, Jira has evolved into a project management platform. It gathers data such as team progress on assigned tasks, time allocation, and issue tracking.

However, the real challenge lies in interpreting the data collected quickly. That's where Tableau proves invaluable as a leading business intelligence software. Business intelligence involves transforming data into easily understandable formats. Tableau empowers users to generate reports that consolidate information from projects using visually enriched presentations with charts and graphs.

The importance of this capability cannot be overstated. Analyzing project data is crucial for refining strategies, optimizing task management, and enhancing team performance. Leveraging Tableau teams can extract insights from their data that foster creativity among developers while proactively staying ahead of project timelines.

Basically, Jira serves as the tool for collecting data, while Tableau is the powerhouse for analysis, giving an overview of project dynamics. Integrating Tableau and Jira is a decision for organizations that want to gain an understanding of their projects and make data-driven decisions. Let's explore the benefits of this integration to emphasize its value in project management.

As we mentioned previously, Jira is an excellent tool for making the lives of your managers a lot easier. It provides them with an organized Jira dashboard where they can track the performance of each team member. By having that information easily accessible, organizing and optimizing workflow becomes considerably more manageable.

Beyond project management, Jira enables monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), such as open issues, time in status, and project hours. Calculating these metrics is crucial for timely decision-making on resource planning and process optimization. However, Jira is a project management tool. It does have some limitations when it comes to reporting.

While Jira serves as a valuable data source, connecting it to Tableau becomes imperative for presenting Jira data conveniently. The Tableau Jira integration unlocks comprehensive insights, allowing companies to access vital business information from various angles and make informed decisions. Jira Tableau integration ensures a seamless flow of actionable insights, optimizing operational strategies and decision-making processes.

The potential limitations in Jira reporting can be effectively countered by leveraging the benefits provided by:

Enhanced Data Visualization

While Jiras native reporting features provide insights, they may fall short in terms of options. By integrating Tableau, Jira data visualization can be significantly improved, allowing for comprehensive and customizable reports.

Complex Data Analysis

Jira's reporting capabilities may need help collecting and presenting data from projects or different sources. Through Jira Tableau integration, data consolidation becomes easier, providing a view for a holistic analysis.

Advanced Analytics Options

Jira's native reporting tools may fall short in handling complex data analyses and intricate calculations. Tableau's integration brings advanced analytical tools to the forefront, enabling users to explore complex datasets for more detailed insights.

Extending Historical Reporting Capabilities

Jira's historical reporting capabilities have limitations that effectively impact tracking trends over time. By integrating Tableau and Jira, you can create reports and perform trend analyses that offer a longitudinal perspective on project performance.

The Tableau Connector for Jira, developed by Alpha Serve, is a no-code integration tool that addresses the challenges of extracting and transforming unstructured Jira data, allowing users to effortlessly create custom dashboards tailored to their specific needs. What sets the app apart is its user-friendly nature.

How does this connector work? Users can easily connect Jira to Tableau by creating URL connections and navigate the app without additional competencies, making it accessible to a wide range of users within the Jira instance. It enables establishing a direct connection between Jira and Tableau, utilizing the relevant API (such as the Jira Cloud REST API) through the OData method. It involves copying a standard OData URL comprising essential components: the Service Root URL, Resource Path, and hash.

The Tableau Connector for Jira offers several key advantages that set this connector apart:

Custom Data Export and Analysis

The connector facilitates tailored Jira data export and analysis, allowing users to combine information with other sources and apply filters, including Basic or JQL, for a personalized approach.

Flexibility and Scalability

Users can create unlimited data sources across all Jira projects and third-party apps, ensuring flexibility and scalability in managing diverse datasets.

Granular Control Over User Access

The connector's robust security features allow administrators to manage permissions, ensuring granular control over user access and promoting data confidentiality.

Advanced Features for Enhanced Insights

The connector offers advanced features such as a Data Relationships Preview with an Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) schema, scheduled refresh options, and robust data security measures.

Automated Updates for Data Security

Scheduled refresh options automate updates at specified intervals, streamlining reporting processes and ensuring secure data transfer between Jira and Tableau with timely updates within predefined parameters.

Setting up a Tableau Jira integration is easier than one might think. First, you will need Jira administrator rights to do it, but if you're reading this in the first place, you've probably got it covered already anyway.

Follow the steps below to set up Jira Tableau Integrations in a few minutes:

Fire up Jira's Administration tab and go to Apps -> Explore more apps section.

In the "Search for apps" box, type "Tableau Connector for Jira Alpha Serve" and press Enter.

Choose the relevant result from the search, then click "Try it free."

Here you can start a Free Trial. It has all of the functionality of the full license, just for a limited amount of time(30 days). By the way, the Cloud version of Tableau Connector For Jira is permanently free for small teams up to 10 users.

Almost done now. Follow the standard installation path, and Tableau Jira connector will be automatically installed on your Jira instance.

There's also an alternative way of installing the Tableau Connector for Jira. You can do it from the app's product page on the Atlassian Marketplace.

While logged into your Jira Cloud instance, navigate to Apps and choose "Tableau Connector for Jira."

Note: For guidance on Jira Data Center/Server instructions, refer to our documentation page.

Access the left-hand menu, click Tokens, and then opt for "Create new token" within the Access token tab.

Provide a short and memorable label in the Label* field, such as "Tableau Access Token," and click on Create.

Click on Copy to ensure you save the access token, which will be your password when connecting to Tableau Desktop.

Once closed, the access token won't be visible again. Keep it secure as it grants access to your Jira data.

Click on Close to complete the process.

Click on Copy to ensure you save the access token, which will be your password when connecting to Tableau Desktop.

Once closed, the access token won't be visible again. Keep it secure as it grants access to your Jira data.

Click on Close to complete the process.

Start work with the application from the creation of your first dataset. Go to Apps -> Tableau Connector for Jira. Click Create a Data Source button.

Enter the data source name in the "Name*" field, and optionally provide a description.

Sharing the data source with other users is possible but optional. Administrators automatically have access. For sharing, enter usernames or groups in the respective fields.

Choose desired filters that include "No filters" (default), "JQL" for custom requests, and "Basic" for standard field filters.

Choose fields, then click Save.

Export Jira data to Tableau using OData, click on "Copy URL."

Open Tableau Desktop, choose "More…" and select "OData."

Paste the data source link in the Server field. For authentication, select "Username and Password." Enter your email address associated with Jira Cloud in the Username field. In the Password field, input the access token created earlier. Click "Sign In."

For exporting data using Web Data Connector, even though Tableau deprecated it, you can still use it with Tableau Connector for Jira Cloud. Click on three dots and select "Copy WDC URL (legacy)."

In Tableau Desktop, choose "More…" and then select "Web Data Connector (deprecated)." Paste the copied WDC URL in the address bar or the designated box and press Enter.

In the Username field, enter your Jira Cloud-associated email address. Input the access token in the Password field. Click "Log in and Export."

If you run a giant company, you don't concentrate on a single project but run a few in parallel. Bring the data from Jira into one extensive, accessible report in Tableau and have all of the vital info ready at the tips of your fingers.

Gathering your data, such as key performance indicators, in a singular place makes it much easier to identify tasks that require special attention, get a better idea of how each project is going, and whether they're meeting deadlines.

If you run a bigger company you probably don't concentrate on a single project, but rather run a few in parallel. But when it comes to Jira project reporting, by default it does not allow to build a multiple project report easily in order to join them.

It is much more convenient to bring data from Jira into one big, accessible projects report in Tableau and have all of the vital info ready at the tips of your fingers.

Tableau Connector for Jira is a game-changer for organizations aiming to elevate their reporting capabilities. It seamlessly loads Jira data to Tableau, overcoming limitations and offering advanced features, strong security, and flexible data export options.

Ready to explore the potential of your Jira data? Try Tableau Connector for Jira now, or book a demo to revolutionize how you visualize and analyze project insights. Seize the power of Tableau Connector for Jira today!