Jira Connection
The Jira connection type enables automations to create, update, transition, and query issues across any Jira project — whether your organization runs Jira Cloud (Atlassian-hosted) or Jira Data Center (self-managed). Authentication differs slightly between the two deployment models, so make sure you are following the correct path for your setup.
Connection Details
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Type ID | JIRA |
| Category | Enterprise Applications — Issue Tracking |
| Testable | Yes |
Friendly Example
| What you enter | Example |
|---|---|
| Connection name | Jira - Service Tickets (Cloud) |
| Used for | Auto-creating bug reports from monitoring alerts and updating issue status as the fix progresses |
| Main details to collect | Jira site URL, Atlassian account email, and API token |
| Best person to provide it | Jira administrator or the automation owner's Atlassian account |
After it is saved, workflow builders select Jira - Service Tickets (Cloud) in a node and never handle credentials directly.
Mandatory Fields
| Field | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
url | Base URL of your Jira instance | https://yourorg.atlassian.net (Cloud) or https://jira.contoso.com (Data Center) |
email | Atlassian account email used to generate the API token (Cloud), or the Jira username (Data Center) | automation@yourorg.com |
apiToken | API token (Cloud) or Personal Access Token (Data Center). Encrypted at rest. | ATATTxyz... |
- Jira Cloud: Use your Atlassian account email plus an API token generated at
id.atlassian.com. Passwords are not accepted via the REST API. - Jira Data Center: Use your Jira username plus a Personal Access Token created in Jira profile settings. Basic auth with a password also works for older Data Center versions, but PATs are strongly preferred.
Advanced Fields
| Field | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
defaultProjectKey | Jira project key pre-filled when creating issues, so workflow steps do not need to specify it every time | OPS |
timeoutSeconds | Maximum seconds to wait for a Jira API response | 30 |
Setup Instructions
Jira Cloud
-
Log in to your Atlassian account. Go to id.atlassian.com and sign in with the account you want to use for the integration. Use a shared service account email if possible, not a personal account.
-
Create an API token. Navigate to Security > Create and manage API tokens > Create API token. Give it a descriptive label (e.g.,
Qinfinite Automation) and copy the token immediately — it is only shown once. -
Note your Jira Cloud URL. It is the base hostname in your browser when you are in Jira, e.g.,
https://yourorg.atlassian.net. Do not include trailing slashes or a project path. -
Grant the service account project access. In Jira, go to Project Settings > People for each project the automation needs to access. Add the service account with the Service Desk Agent or Member role depending on your project type.
-
Save the connection. Enter the URL, email, and API token in Global Configurator, then click Test Connection to verify.
Jira Data Center
-
Log in to Jira as the integration service account (or your own account if generating a personal PAT).
-
Create a Personal Access Token. Go to your Jira Profile > Personal Access Tokens > Create token. Set an expiry date appropriate for your security policy and copy the token.
-
Enter the self-hosted URL. Use the internal or external base URL of your Jira instance, e.g.,
https://jira.contoso.com. -
Save the connection. Use the Jira username in the email field (Data Center does not require an email address) and paste the PAT in the apiToken field.
Jira Cloud API tokens do not expire, but Jira Data Center PATs do. Set a calendar reminder before the PAT expiry date to rotate the token and update the connection before automations start failing.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
401 Unauthorized | API token or PAT is incorrect, or the email does not match the token owner | Regenerate the API token and update the connection |
403 Forbidden on a specific project | The service account does not have the required project role | Add the account to the project via Project Settings > People |
404 Not Found when creating an issue | The defaultProjectKey or the project key passed by the workflow step does not exist | Verify the project key in Jira (it is shown in the project sidebar under the project name) |
| SSL handshake error (Data Center) | Self-signed or internally signed TLS certificate on the Jira server | Import the server's CA certificate into the Qinfinite truststore or use a publicly trusted certificate on the Jira server |