2021: Smartsheet logo close-up on website page, Illustrative Editorial.
Image: Postmodern Studio/Adobe Stock

Smartsheet is a well-designed work management platform that is well versed in tasks, project progress, calendar management, document sharing, and other work management tasks. Jira, on the other hand, is one of the most widely-used issue-tracking platforms on the market. Wouldn’t it be nice if these two tools played well together?

SEE: Hiring kit: Project manager (TechRepublic Premium)

Good news: Thanks to a simple-to-use Jira app, you can make this happen. The app is free to use for up to 10 users and makes it easy to add sheets, reports or dashboards to Jira issues. Let me show you how it’s done.

What you’ll need to integrate Smartsheet and Jira

To integrate Smartsheet and Jira, you’ll need valid accounts for each service. Your Jira account must have access to the Apps Marketplace.

How to integrate Smartsheet and Jira

First, make sure you’re logged into both your Smartsheet and Jira accounts with the same web browser. Once you’ve done that, go to Jira and, from the Apps drop-down, click Explore More Apps. From the App Market, search for Smartsheet.

When the Smartsheet entry appears (Figure A), click Try It For Free.

Figure A

Installing the Smartsheet app in Jira.

In the pop-up window, click Start Free Trial (Figure B).

Figure B

Almost finished with the installation.

And that’s it for the installation.

How to use the Smartsheet and Jira integration

This is where it can get a bit tricky. The only reason there might be a bit of confusion is that the Smartsheet and Jira integration app requires that anything integrated from Smartsheet must first be published.

For example, go to Smartsheet and open a report. From the report page, you should see a vertical column of icons in the right sidebar (Figure C).

Figure C

The Smartsheet right sidebar.

The Publish icon is the rectangle with the upward-pointing arrow. Click that icon. In the resulting pop-up (Figure D), click the ON/OFF slider until it’s in the ON position, and then click Get Link.

Figure D

The Smartsheet Publish options pop-up window.

You will be presented with two options: A link and an embed code. Copy the link and then close the pop-up.

Next, go back to Jira and open an issue. You should now see a Smartsheet section, but we need to first search for the Smartsheet app (Figure E).

Figure E

Locating the Smartsheet app within a Jira issue.

When the Smartsheet icon appears, click it and then paste the link you copied into the Paste Link Or Embed Code field (Figure F).

Figure F

You can now paste your Smartsheet link here.

The Smartsheet section should automatically populate with the details from the Smartsheet report. Click Save and you’re done.

And that’s all there is to integrating Smartsheet and Jira. With this combination, you’re able to keep track of more using less.

Subscribe to TechRepublic’s How To Make Tech Work on YouTube for all the latest tech advice for business pros from Jack Wallen.

Subscribe to the Developer Insider Newsletter

From the hottest programming languages to commentary on the Linux OS, get the developer and open source news and tips you need to know. Delivered Tuesdays and Thursdays

Subscribe to the Developer Insider Newsletter

From the hottest programming languages to commentary on the Linux OS, get the developer and open source news and tips you need to know. Delivered Tuesdays and Thursdays