Both Atlassian Jira and ServiceNow are enterprise-level solutions for organizing the work of teams.
Often, especially in larger organizations, Jira Software and ServiceNow have been introduced in different departments and have converged over the years. Especially with Agile Software Development and DevOps, there is now a clear requirement to connect both systems and worlds.
Since well-implemented ServiceNow is a business-critical software, there is no space to think about replacing it with Jira Service Management, to benefit from a natively well-integrated ecosystem. What to do then? Here comes getint, an IaaS (integration as a service) platform, that can integrate Jira, and ServiceNow in a way that's seamless, requires no daily maintenance, and just works its magic in the background.
In this blog post, we describe how to integrate Jira Software with ServiceNow using getint, an enterprise-ready solution developed by an Atlassian vendor that works with companies such as Samsung, Deloitte, BMW, and Capgemini.
What is Jira?
Jira is a popular issue-tracking and project-management tool used by software development and business teams around the world. Developed by Atlassian, it is known for its flexibility and customization. With Jira, teams can create custom workflows, define issue types and fields, and easily collaborate on projects. Jira supports agile development methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban, and provides robust reporting and analysis capabilities.
Atlassian also offers Jira Service Management for IT and business teams, but there are already organizations that use ServiceNow already. This article describes the integration between Jira Software and ServiceNow.
What is ServiceNow?
ServiceNow is a leading cloud-based IT Service Management (ITSM) platform that enables organizations to streamline IT operations and better serve their customers. With ServiceNow, organizations can automate workflows, manage incidents, problems and changes, and gain visibility into their IT infrastructure. ServiceNow is highly configurable and can be used across departments such as HR, customer service, and facilities.
FAQ:
Do I also need to install the getint application on ServiceNow?
Jacek: No, all you need to do is to establish a connection with both systems - Jira, and ServiceNow. So you need a user, with the required level of credentials. That’s it.
How many instances can I integrate with?
Jacek: The regular license covers one Jira to one ServiceNow. The getint platform is able to integrate with a lot more, f.e. 1x Jira with 5x ServiceNow. Or 1x Jira, with 1x ServiceNow, and 1x Azure DevOps. Sky's the limit, in the end, it all comes down to the licensing. We introduced a network license, so a custom price for those having three, and more connections.
How about support, and consulting?
Jacek: The regular license fee is meant for self-setup. Our team is very helpful, but for more complicated, time-sensitive integrations it may make sense to ask your Consultant for assistance.
Can I migrate historical data?
Jacek: Sure, the getint platform also offers the possibility to migrate historical data. Just be aware that the migration is a premium feature, billed separately.
When considering Jira ServiceNow integration, what should I look for?
First, talk to your Atlassian Partner - chances are they have already done several integrations like this. They will do their best to recommend the best solution for your specific needs. For most organizations, the thighs to consider are:
Ease of use and how quickly you can get your integration up and running
When testing a solution, you want to quickly create a proof of concept to demonstrate that you can meet the needs of your business stakeholders. With the combined power of an easy-to-use interface and the ability to add advanced scripts to your setup, you can have a basic integration up and running in no time, freeing you to test more complex scenarios.
Scalability options
Organizations typically start small, integrating an instance of Jira with an instance of ServiceNow. Typically, it's one project at a time. Then it scales. To more projects, to more instances (like integrating your contractors who also use Jira or ServiceNow), or to more tools like Azure DevOps, GitLab, or Zendesk.
The friendliness and flexibility of a supplier
It's not B2B or B2C anymore. It's a people-to-people business. When you work with a company on a business-critical process, you need to make sure the people on the other side understand, support, and assist you. And that they are flexible enough to provide you with custom development and consulting when your specific case requires it.
Support
Talk to the people behind the product: Do they understand your context? Do they really want to help you? What channels of communication do they offer?
Security
When it comes to businesses, security is key. Some organizations need the tool to work completely behind the firewall - if that's your case, make sure it's addressed. Can the platform work as a standalone solution or just as a Jira application? How does it connect to both Jira and ServiceNow?
Price-to-value ratio
Last but not least, consider the price-to-value ratio. Enterprise-level solutions can be very expensive. But price doesn't necessarily equate to quality. Check how you have to pay (some vendors expect you to buy both the Jira app and the ServiceNow app, or pay for a license for one tool and separately for the other. getint offers a single, simple fee that is the most competitive).
How do I prepare for Jira ServiceNow integration?
- To start integrating Jira and ServiceNow, you need to connect to both systems using the user's credentials. Make sure you have these accounts with the expected level of permissions.
- Do a dry run of type and field mapping in Excel - this exercise will show you how to prepare Jira and ServiceNow for integration. It will also help you agree on a scope with your business stakeholders. You will probably need to create custom fields to store the required values.
- Decide whether you want to use a Jira application or a standalone application. Do you want a SaaS or on-premises license?
How do I integrate Jira with ServiceNow?
As a Jira Cloud or Jira Data Center administrator or consultant you know that the best way to find for an application that meets your needs is to contact your partner or go directly to the Atlassian Marketplace. We recommend you to type in “ServiceNow Jira 2-way integration/migration by Getint.io”, and go for a free trial.
1. By selecting apps, establish a connection with the tools – preferably use the credentials of a user with a generic name like “Integration bot” or “getint”. getint will act as this user while creating issues, tasks, and incidents. Choose the projects you want to integrate.
2. Select the types for your scenario. The most common one is Incident to Task.
3. Do the type mapping. By default, getint maps the title as well as description and enable comments integrations. Add whatever is needed, and they will pick up everything that is enabled for the integration, including all the native custom fields.
4. Map the statuses
5. Add scripting if needed
6. Name the integration and click create.
7. Your integration is ready to go 🥳
Conclusion
While both Jira and ServiceNow are very complex solutions, integrating them doesn’t have to be complicated. Make sure to know what you would like to achieve and work with someone who can help you make this happen. For the Jira ServiceNow integration app, go directly to the Atlassian Marketplace.
