How to sync backlog rank for Features (Jira Epics) between Jira Align and Jira Software

Summary

Both Jira Align and Jira Software allow for the ranking of Feature (Jira Epic) backlogs. While these backlog ranks are independent of one another, Jira Align does allow you to manually sync the Global Program rank for each of these to or from Jira Software.

In this case, “Global Program rank” refers to all Features within a single Program.

This article outlines the configuration, steps, and tips for syncing this rank.

Environment

Jira Align

Solution

Jira Software Configuration

1. Ensure Jira Ranking is enabled per: Enable ranking | Jira Software Cloud | Atlassian Support

   Jira Software automatically creates a custom field called Rank, of type Global Rank. Please ensure that your Jira instance contains only one custom field called Rank, and that the Rank field is assigned to the global context (i.e. not to specific issues or projects).

2. Confirm the "Rank" field ID under: Settings > Issues > Custom Fields

   search for 'Rank'

   • click 3 dots > View field information and find the id at the end of the URL… for example:

   

3. Within the desired Project, navigate to:

   • Issues > Go to advanced search (Cloud)

   • Issues > View all issues and filters (Server/DC)

   • Click the “Columns” drop-down button, search for and and add the Rank column

   

Jira Align Configuration

1. Set the following Connector setting with the Jira Rank custom field ID

   • Administration > Jira Settings > Jira Setup > Story and feature (jira epic) backlog rank custom field

   

   • NOTE: The field value should be set with the <ID> only. NOT customfield_<ID>

2. Set the following Connector setting to “Bidirectional sync”

   • Administration > Jira Settings > Jira Setup > Sync story and feature (jira epic) ranks

   

Syncing the Rank

1. In Jira Align, navigate to the Feature backlog for the desired Program (make sure the scope is set to a Program only and there are no PI’s selected)

2. Click the Pull Rank button and choose the desired sync:

   

   • Pull rank from External System (pulls Jira’s rank up to Jira Align)

   • Push rank to the External System (pushes Jira Align’s rank down to Jira)

3. While the sync is taking place, the Pull and Push actions will disappear from the menu:

   

4. Once the sync completes, the menu options will reappear.

Troubleshooting

If rank sync is not working, check the following items:

• Make sure the value for Jira Connector setting Story and feature (jira epic) backlog rank custom field is using the format 12345 and not customfield_12345

• The following System Role permissions are required to pull rank fearure ranks from an external system:

  • Features

    • Program > Program > Rank Items in External tools