Ugo, Author at Exalate

Keeping Customers and Partners Satisfied with Jira Service Management Salesforce Integration

Jira Service Management integration with Salesforce is the best way to keep the sales team in sync with the company’s service desk.

For teams looking to streamline collaborations between the support team and salespeople, connecting Jira Service Management data with Salesforce will help them improve productivity and make information readily available.

The right third-party solution, like Exalate, will help you connect the entities, fields, and projects needed to make the collaboration successful.

I’ll explore how to use Exalate to integrate Salesforce and Jira Service Management using Exalate’s AI-powered scripting engine.

What is Jira Service Management to Salesforce Integration?

Jira Service Management to Salesforce integration is the process of connecting both platforms unidirectionally or bidirectionally in order to get them to interact (in real-time or based on triggers).

Think of it as connecting two systems with middleware, Salesforce to Jira connector. The goal is to fetch and send data from either side based on the configurations.

Data exchange between Jira and Salesforce usually follows the ETL (extract-transform-load) or ELT (extract-load-transform) model. Salesforce uses HTML internally to represent comments, and Jira uses Wiki Markup, so the transformation needs to happen automatically.

The transformation stage is also handled by the middleware solution by converting the data between platform-native formats before it gets to the individual systems.

Importance of Integrating Salesforce with Jira Service Management

Here are the benefits of Jira Service Management to Salesforce integration.

Integrating Jira with Salesforce makes it possible for the service team to stay in close contact with the sales team. This will speed up access to vital information and increase the efficiency of service delivery.
Organizations with an integrated service desk and sales data can make decisions better and faster because they have access to information in real time.
Teams will stay in their own systems without having to migrate to a different platform just to access the information they need. This also prevents context switching and saves licensing and subscription costs.
Customers enjoy better service delivery when Jira Service Management is integrated with Salesforce because teams on both ends have all the information they need.

Discover the magic of cross-platform integration for silky smooth collaborations between teams.

Use Cases for Jira Service Management to Salesforce Integration

Here are some practical applications where teams and businesses can implement Jira Service Management to Salesforce integration using Exalate. These are technical use cases that can be applied to several business processes.

Case 1: Sync Comment Threads and User Mentions Between Salesforce and Jira

As of March 2025, Atlassian announced the implementation of threaded comments, but this feature still has issues. So, Exalate helps you with a reliable workaround by fetching comments from the chatter feed and making them appear in Jira.

Also, user mentions in Jira tags the correct corresponding user in Salesforce (if the user exists on both systems). And the comments from Jira also appear in Salesforce.

Here is a sample code snippet for handling the outgoing comments from Jira:

. . .replica.comments = issue.comments.collect {
comment ->
def matcher = comment.body =~ /\[~accountid:([\w:-]+)\]/
def newCommentBody = comment.body
matcher.each {
target = nodeHelper.getUser(it[1])?.email
newCommentBody = newCommentBody.replace(it[0],target)
}
comment.body = newCommentBody
comment
}. . .

Our blog has the complete code snippets for both the Salesforce and Jira sides of the connection. Note that the code could have changed since the time of publication.

Case 2: Sync Multiple Salesforce Objects to a Single Jira Service Management Ticket

The sales team can sync multiple related objects from a Salesforce case to a single Jira Service Management ticket or issue.

For instance, the team can sync the account and contact related to a specific case. This helps consolidate all the related information into a single source of truth so that admins can retrieve it whenever they want.

With this integration use case, you can sync field updates on opportunities with specific Jira tickets. This can be automated to trigger ticket creation whenever a prospect reaches the proposal stage.

Case 3: Filter Incoming Salesforce Cases Based on Jira Issue Type

Exalate also allows teams to filter out incoming cases and sort them based on the type of issue.

So let’s say you have three cases coming in from a customer:

A defect in the product prevents them from using your services.
An issue they are unable to resolve on their own
A feature they’d like to add to the product.

These issues will appear on the Jira Service Management board as a Bug, Service Request, and Change, respectively.

Case 4: Map Jira Insights to Create a Salesforce Opportunity

When a user creates an insight to a Jira ticket, the corresponding Salesforce opportunity is created instantly. The Salesforce field will be automatically updated with the status, priority, and other key elements.

Case 5: Create New Tasks in Jira for Every Contract Proposal

When a new opportunity requires a proposal, the sales team can automatically generate a task for the service team to address.

Instead of copying the details and sending them over manually, they can use conditional triggers and field mapping to ensure that new tasks are created in Jira Service Management for every proposal.

They’ll also be able to monitor the progress and status of every proposal as well as update the priority based on customer mood, etc.

Case 6: Sync the Knowledge Base

Your team can connect the knowledge base in Jira Service Management with a Salesforce case in order to speed up service resolution and accuracy.

When customers raise the same issues repeatedly, you can automate the creation of articles in Jira Service Management to proffer a solution automatically. This is the basic principle of most self-service initiatives.

Case 7: Update the Case Priority on the Jira Ticket

When a Salesforce case is high in priority, the Jira ticket should receive a comment specifying the level of urgency in plain words.

For instance, if the Case conveys a priority of “Highest” to the Jira ticket, a comment should also appear telling the service team that “The house is on fire..”. This will add more emphasis to the gravity of the situation.

How Exalate Handles Salesforce to Jira Service Management Integration

Exalate is easy to set up and use for Jira and Salesforce integration. Here is a quick breakdown of the steps to follow.

Install the Exalate app on both Jira and Salesforce, following the guidelines provided in the documentation. The instance for Jira Service Management is available on the Atlassian marketplace (just search for Exalate connector for Jira). To install Exalate one Salesforce, you can either get it via the listing “Salesforce Connector for Jira” or via the Exalate integrations page.
Go to Connections and click the Initiate Connection button. You can start from one side and accept the invitation on the other end.

Enter the destination URL and select the configuration type you want > Choose Basic Mode.
Select the project you want to synchronize > Enter the issue key and click Exalate.
The connection is set.

Jira service management Salesforce connection

If you’re looking for advanced integration mappings, choose the Script Mode instead.
Enter the name and description > click Initiate.
Copy the invitation code to your clipboard.
Go to the remote side and click Accept invitation > Enter the activation code and click Next.
Select the project and click Confirm.
Go to the connection and click Edit Connection.

In the Outgoing sync text field, enter the script to control the fields and entities you want to share.
In the Incoming sync text field, enter the script to control the fields and entities you want to receive.
Click Publish to save the changes and implement the sync rules.
Go to the Triggers section.
Click Create trigger.
Choose the entity type > Enter the rules or search syntax and click Add.
Your connection and trigger are both set. The connector will now start working automatically.

How Exalate Uses AI to Improve Jira Service Management to Salesforce Connection

Exalate relies on AI-powered features to simplify connections between Jira Service Management and Salesforce.

Aida is a documentation assistant that helps you search for technical information about Exalate as well as other configuration details. It scours through multiple pages of Exalate-related sources and knowledge bases to provide essential information about syncs within seconds.

AI Assist is a chat window that sits inside both the incoming and outgoing sync sections, which users can rely on to generate scripts for sync configuration.

We’ve covered the full configuration and synchronization scenario between Jira and Salesforce, as well as how to use the AI-powered scripting engine to speed things up.

This webinar features our solution engineers implementing an actual Jira to Salesforce integration use case using AI Assist.

It is also important to mention that both AI tools use natural language to process your queries in order to fetch script suggestions for you. It considers your input, your existing configuration, and Exalate’s scripting API while doing so.

However, you’d still need to review the scripts before publishing since they are prone to mistakes, just like any other AI tool.
Do you have a use case that requires Salesforce integration with Jira Service Management? Contact our integration team to get started right away.

Recommended Reads:

How to Sync Task Lists and Assignee between Jira and GitHub

For every Epic you create in Jira, you can add “child” issues to indicate the list of tasks and subtasks to be performed. However, GitHub issues don’t support this type of parent-child hierarchy.

To keep track of information coming in from Jira Cloud, your connection should be able to replicate this hierarchy on the GitHub repo as task lists.

Also, you need to sync the assignee between both systems.

But why is all this necessary?

It fetches information about the user or issue for both Jira and GitHub users.
It keeps both teams on their respective systems without putting sensitive data at risk.
It helps internal teams and admins to collaborate without context-switching.
It helps organizations keep track of users making changes on both sides.
Developers can keep track of open-source contributions from outside collaborators.

Use Case Requirements

Now that you understand why syncing task lists and assignees between Jira and GitHub, let’s go through the technical requirements of this use case.

Getting authorization with the right access tokens,
Fetching the right API name from the fields on both sides,
Arranging the tasks on the GitHub site according to the established hierarchy,
Mapping the correct Epics and tasks, as well as the assignee,
Establishing sync rules for the incoming and outgoing data,
Setting triggers to update the fields automatically,
Closing the GitHub issue marks the Jira ticket as “Done”.

How to Sync Task Lists and Assignees Using Exalate

For starters, you need to choose a reliable solution that supports connections between both platforms.

Exalate is a bidirectional integration solution that works with Zendesk, Azure DevOps, ServiceNow, Jira, Salesforce, GitHub, etc.

Why Exalate?

It supports trigger-based integration and bulk operations.
It provides an integration as a service (IaaS) option for MSPs.
You can use its Groovy scripting engine for complex use cases.
It simplifies scripting with the advanced AI Assist script builder.

How to Configure Exalate for Jira GitHub Sync

First, install Exalate on GitHub and Jira from the respective marketplaces.

Next, follow the instructions in this comprehensive guide to establish a connection between them.

To set up an advanced Jira GitHub integration, choose Script Mode.

Once done, create an Epic in Jira. Then, add a few children (issues) before designating an assignee.

To configure the sync, open Exalate in your Jira dashboard, go to the connection you want to edit, and click on the “Edit connection” icon.

You have two options:

Outgoing sync (on the Jira side) refers to the data to be sent over to the GitHub side.
Incoming sync (on the GitHub side) refers to the data to be received from the issue on Jira.

Under the “Rules” tab on the Jira side, enter the following code snippet:

Jira Outgoing Sync

replica.key = issue.key
replica.type = issue.type
replica.assignee = issue.assignee
replica.reporter = issue.reporter
replica.summary = issue.summary
replica.description = issue.description
replica.labels = issue.labels
replica.comments = issue.comments
replica.resolution = issue.resolution
replica.status = issue.status
replica.parentId = issue.parentId
replica.priority = issue.priority
replica.attachments = issue.attachments
replica.project = issue.project

replica.project.versions = []
replica.project.components = []

replica.”child” = []
if (issue.issueType.name == “Epic”){
def js = new groovy.json.JsonSlurper()
def jql = “cf[10014]=${issue.key}”.toString()
def localIssue = new JiraClient(httpClient).http(“GET”, “/rest/api/latest/search”, [“jql”:[jql]], null, [:]) {
response ->
if (response.code >= 300 && response.code != 404)
throw new com.exalate.api.exception.IssueTrackerException(“Failed to perform the request GET /rest/servicedeskapi/request/${issue.id}/feedback (status ${response.code}), and body was: \n\”${response.body}\”\nPlease contact Exalate Support: “.toString() + response.body)
if (response.code == 404)
return null
def txt = response.body as String
txt = js.parseText(txt)
txt.issues.each {
it ->
replica.”child” += it.id
}
}
}

replica.customFields.”GitHub Repository” = issue.customFields.”GitHub Repository”

The rules in this Jira Outgoing sync fetch the entities (key, id, string, txt, etc.) and objects in the Epic and send them over to GitHub.

GitHub Incoming Sync

if(firstSync){
if (replica.customFields.”GitHub Repository”?.value?.value == “Project Mars”)
issue.repository = “majid-org/project-mars”
else
issue.repository = “majid-org/demo-repo”
issue.summary = replica.summary
issue.description = replica.description
store(issue)
syncHelper.syncBackAfterProcessing()
}
issue.summary = replica.summary
issue.description = replica.description
if (replica.issueType.name != “Task”){
if (replica?.”child”.size != 0){
issue.description += “\n\n______\nRelated Issues\n______”
replica.”child”.each{
it ->
def localParent = syncHelper.getLocalKeyFromRemoteId(it, “issue”)?.key
issue.description += “\n- [ ] #${localParent}”
}
}
}

if (replica.issueType.name == “Task”){
if (replica?.parentId){
issue.description += “\n\n______\nParent Issue\n______”
def localParent = syncHelper.getLocalKeyFromRemoteId(replica.parentId, “issue”)?.key
issue.description += “\n- [ ] #${localParent}”
}
}
def userMap = [ “[email protected]” : “syed-majidhassan”, “[email protected]” :”dhirennotani19″]if (replica?.assignee) issue.assignee = nodeHelper.getUserByUsername(userMap[replica.assignee?.email])else { issue.assignee = null issue.assignees = null}

This code snippet maps the fields and entities coming in from the Jira side to specific repositories while maintaining the hierarchy and parent-child relationship. You can also map specific assignees to different email addresses.

Under the “Rules” tab on the GitHub side, enter the following code snippet:

GitHub Outgoing Sync

replica.key = issue.key
replica.assignee = issue.assignee
// Support for multiple assignees to a single issue
replica.assignees = issue.assignees
replica.reporter = issue.reporter
replica.summary = issue.summary
replica.description = issue.description
replica.labels = issue.labels
replica.comments = issue.comments
replica.status = issue.status
replica.project = issue.project
replica.id = issueKey.idStr

This code snippet allows you to send different entities to Jira Cloud, including all the assignees for an issue. It also fetches the issue ID and replicates it on the other side.

Jira Incoming Sync

if(firstSync){
issue.projectKey = “CM”
issue.typeName = nodeHelper.getIssueType(replica.type?.name, issue.projectKey)?.name ?: “Task”
}
issue.customFields.”SNOW Company”.value = replica.id
issue.summary = replica.summary
issue.comments = commentHelper.mergeComments(issue, replica)
issue.attachments = attachmentHelper.mergeAttachments(issue, replica)
issue.labels = replica.labels

def statusMapping = [“open”:”To Do”, “closed”:”Done”]
def remoteStatusName = replica.status.name
issue.setStatus(statusMapping[remoteStatusName])
def userMap = [ “syed-majidhassan” : “[email protected]”, “dhirennotani19″ :”[email protected]”]def defaultUser = nodeHelper.getUserByEmail(“defaultuseremail”)issue.assignee = nodeHelper.getUserByEmail(userMap[replica.assignee?.username]) ?: defaultUser

if(issue.typeName == “Task”){
def a = “”
def matcher = replica.description =~ /#(\d{1,3})$/
if (matcher)
a = replica.description.split(“#”)[1]

def localIssue = syncHelper.getLocalIssueKeyFromRemoteId(issue.’SNOW Company’.toLong())
def res = httpClient.get(“/rest/api/3/issue/${localIssue.urn}”)
res = httpClient.get(“/rest/api/3/issue/${res.fields.parent.key}”)
def localParent = syncHelper.getLocalIssueKeyFromRemoteId(res.fields.customfield_10094.toLong())
syncHelper.eventSchedulerNotificationService.scheduleSyncEventNoChangeCheck(connection, localParent)
}

With this snippet, you can fetch the status of any issue (task) and have it reflect on the GitHub issue. You will also be able to indicate the assignees and users by email and username.

Sync issue status and assignees with GitHub

On the GitHub issue, you can find a link to the Epic added as a task list. This will appear as an active link.

GitHub issue showing active link to Epic in task list

When you click on the Epic link, you can see the tasks and the ID reflected as task lists. The status of each task will also appear on the issue.

Note: You can also use AI Assist to generate code snippets for this use case. Just make sure to review the code first before publishing changes.

Congratulations! You have now set rules and triggers to automate the process of syncing Jira Cloud with GitHub.

Automate triggers to sync Jira Cloud with GitHub

project=CM and “GitHub Repository” != null

This trigger establishes the condition that if the Epic is from the project named “CM” and the GitHub Repository is actually active.

Start monitoring things in order to adjust the rules according to the demands of specific projects and issues.

You can also watch the video to see a comprehensive implementation of the use case.

If you still have questions or want to see how Exalate is tailored to your specific use case, book a demo with one of our experts right away.

Recommended Reads:

How Jira Service Management Integration With ServiceNow Can Save Your Service Delivery

Two teams working with Jira Service Management and ServiceNow, respectively, must find a way to integrate both systems.

However, since both platforms are not directly compatible, a Jira Service Management to ServiceNow integration solution is the only way to bridge the gap between them.

In most cases, teams opt for third-party solutions. But on rare occasions, companies with enough resources could opt to build an integration from scratch.

This article discusses everything worth knowing about integrating ServiceNow with Jira Service Management, including use cases and practical implementations of doing so with Exalate.

Jira Service Management vs. ServiceNow: Which Platform is Better?

Jira Service Management (JSM) is an Atlassian product that allows Jira users to organize customer (and internal) service requests and issues for faster delivery.

ServiceNow supports customer service and help desk solutions for teams to automate their service delivery and workflows.

ServiceNow is a standalone application, while Jira Service Management is a product of Jira (Atlassian). So, if your team has a Jira Cloud or Jira On-Premise instance, they can extend its capabilities with Jira Service Management.

JSM is better suited for internal processes and low-volume external support, while ServiceNow works best as an enterprise service desk solution.

ServiceNow uses HTML as the default data format, while Jira Service Management converts data to Wiki. So this difference in formatting means that both sides can only obtain the correct information after transformers have carried out the conversion under the hood.

Why Integrate Jira Service Management with ServiceNow?

If your team is still on the fence about Jira Service Management and ServiceNow integration, then here are some valid reasons to get things rolling.

Unify service delivery: Connecting Jira Service Management and ServiceNow consolidates data between teams or entire organizations to make sure they are singing from the same sheet. It also provides a centralized dashboard for faster reporting and access to vital data.
Increase productivity and visibility: When the JSM and ServiceNow instances are in sync, the collaboration will go more smoothly because the parties involved in the synchronization have a clear view of all data. A logistics company was able to streamline the collaboration between its call center and support teams.
Improve service quality: With a clear view of all data, both sides will be able to deliver their ITSM or DevOps responsibilities at a higher clip rate and with more accuracy. This will give both teams a competitive advantage in their respective domains.
Save costs: Any team with a running Jira subscription can continue with the Service Management option without having to pay for ServiceNow licensing. Similarly, the ServiceNow team won’t need to onboard a new Jira site. Essentially, both teams save money by staying on their respective instances.

Read how an automobile company uses Exalate to streamline collaborations with other automotive brands and customers.

Jira Service Management to ServiceNow Integration Use Cases

To understand the practical applications for Jira Service Management and ServiceNow integration, let’s discuss some business and technical use cases.

Case 1: Transfer SLA Details from a ServiceNow Incident to a Jira Issue

Whenever a customer creates a ServiceNow incident, the SLA information should be synced to the correct Jira issue in a user-defined field. The information should include the name of the SLA, the state of the incident, and the time of the breach.

if(firstSync){
issue.projectKey = “UD”
// Set type name from source issue, if not found, set a default
issue.typeName = nodeHelper.getIssueType(replica.type?.name, issue.projectKey)?.name ?: “Task”
}

issue.customFields.”SLA Info”.value = “”
for(int i=0; i<replica.slaResults?.size; i++){
issue.customFields.”SLA Info”.value += “Name: ${replica.slaResults[i].name} \n Breach Time: _${replica.slaResults[i].breach_time} \n State: ${replica.slaResults[i].stage} \n\n”
}

So when the agent on ServiceNow creates the task SLA and fills out the details, the admin on the Jira side will get a summary in the attached issue.

Case 2: Synchronize Time-Related Data between Jira and ServiceNow

When an incident is raised in ServiceNow, it is automatically escalated to Jira, where it appears as an Epic. The Epic is then broken down into stories, which have time estimates and the actual time spent.

Servicenow Jira Service Management Integration

This helps teams estimate the amount of time and money spent on development activities geared toward resolving the incident.

Case 3: Use Automation to Convey Priority

You can use automated status updates to escalate a high-priority issue from Jira Service Management to an external support team using ServiceNow.

def priorityMapping = [
// Snow incident priority <-> Jira issue priority
“1 – Critical”: “High”,
“2 – High”: “High”,
“3 – Moderate”: “Medium”,
“4 – Low”: “Low”,
“5 – Planning”: “Lowest”
]
// set default priority in case the proper priority could not be found
def defaultPriority = “Low”
def priorityName = priorityMapping[replica.priority?.name] ?: defaultPriority // set default priority in case the proper urgency could not be found
issue.priority = nodeHelper.getPriority(priorityName)

This involves syncing the priority and urgency of tasks across both Jira and ServiceNow. So if the priority on ServiceNow is “Critical”, it will appear as “Highest” on the other side’s Jira Service Management instance. The same principle applies to urgency mapping.

Case 4: Streamline Mergers and Acquisitions and Multi-Org Scenarios

After a merger, one company uses Jira Service Management while the other uses ServiceNow. They want to continue working in their respective systems but need to collaborate.

In this scenario, they’d need a solution like Exalate to make it possible for them to collaborate and keep their systems in sync for a smooth transition and data exchange.

You can use this option to migrate different entities and categories, such as incidents, changes, problems, and catalog tasks, from ServiceNow to Jira Service Management

Case 5: Share Additional Information with Partners

Exalate makes it possible to sync stories, scrum tasks, and epics to provide more details to external partners, suppliers, vendors, and MSPs.

Team admins and managers can also sync change requests to keep customers and clients informed about upcoming product changes. It will also help them obtain data about reported problems and defects for a comprehensive root-cause analysis.

The applications are endless. You can see a list of all the supported entities and fields for both Jira and ServiceNow integration.

Case 6: Improve Self-Service and Knowledge Management

When a user raises a request via a ServiceNow portal, but knowledge base content and automation rules exist in Jira Service Management.

The integration solution can let admins sync requests so that Jira’s backend processes, like auto-triage, routing, or AI Assist, can still be leveraged.

When resolved, the knowledge article or resolution note can be synced back to the user to provide them with updates and further context.

Case 7: Map a ServiceNow Customer Case to a Jira Epic

Establishing a detailed mapping framework for all fields and entities allows you to transfer all the content of a ServiceNow case or request to a corresponding Jira Epic.

The code on the ServiceNow incoming side would look something like:

…
if (entityType == “customerCase”) {
…
customerCase.correlation_id = replica.key
customerCase.u_issue_link = “https://targetjira/browse/” + replica.key
}

if (entityType == “Problem”) {
…
problem.correlation_id = replica.key
problem.u_issue_link = “https://targetjira/browse/” + replica.key
}

Once the trigger conditions are met, the customer case will go over to Jira as an epic, while the underlying problem will become a story.

Case 8: Handle Security Incidents Better

Companies invested in delivering real-time cybersecurity overwatch for customers can use a Jira Service Management to ServiceNow solution to stay updated about incidents.

With both platforms in sync, data will flow between them under the following conditions:

Creating an issue on one side replicates it on the other side as well.
Any comment or attachment added to one side appears on the other end too.
SLA records are transferred in either direction of the sync for the first connection.

This will help both sides get to the bottom of the issue quicker and stay updated at every stage until the issue is resolved.

Find out how a team was able to connect developers and QA experts to help them sync ServiceNow entities with a Jira bug.

How Exalate Handles ServiceNow to Jira Service Management Integration

Exalate is easy to set up and use for Jira and ServiceNow integration. Here is a quick breakdown of the steps to follow.

Note: You can also request a trial for the ServiceNow Jira connector directly by clicking the button below.

Install the Exalate app on both Jira and ServiceNow from the marketplaces. You can also install them from the integrations page.
Go to Connections and click the Initiate Connection button. You can start from one side and accept the invitation on the other end.

Enter the destination URL and select the configuration type you want > Choose Basic Mode.
Select the project you want to synchronize > Enter the issue key and click Exalate.
The connection is set.

If you’re looking for advanced integration mappings, choose the Script Mode instead.
Enter the name and description > click Initiate.
Copy the invitation code to your clipboard.
Go to the remote side and click Accept invitation > Enter the activation code and click Next.
Select the project and click Confirm.
Go to the connection and click Edit Connection.

In the Outgoing sync text field, enter the script to control the fields and entities you want to share.
In the Incoming sync text field, enter the script to control the fields and entities you want to receive.
Click Publish to save the changes and implement the sync rules.
Go to the Triggers section.
Click Create trigger.
Choose the entity type > Enter the rules or search syntax and click Add.
Your connection and trigger are both set. The connector will now start working automatically.

How to Sync Entities Using Exalate’s Jira ServiceNow Connector

Let’s say a company has outsourced its service desk to an external vendor using ServiceNow. The same company manages its internal tickets via Jira Service Management. A subset of these tickets needs to be handled by the external vendor. A classic example of Jira Service Management ServiceNow integration.

So, when an incident is created in Team A’s ServiceNow, it should be mapped to a specific ticket on Team B’s Jira Service Management.

To ensure both sides keep track of the statuses, establish rules to control and map the incident state with the ticket/bug status. This will keep both sides updated in a timely manner.

This code snippet shows that for every first sync, the incoming data from ServiceNow will go to the project “FIR” as a Bug.

if (firstSync) {
issue.projectKey = “FIR”
// Set the same issue type as the source issue. If not found, set a default.

issue.typeName = “Bug”

def statusMap = [
“remote status name”: “local status name”
]

def statusMap = [
“New” : “Open”,
“Done” : “Resolved”
]
def remoteStatusName = replica.status.name
issue.setStatus(statusMap[remoteStatusName] ?: remoteStatusName)
}

Then, the status of the bug issue should match the state of the reported incident.

Admins on both teams can also add triggers to make incidents more urgent and improve the delivery speed for Jira Service Management and ServiceNow users.

Exalate uses Jira Query Language and ServiceNow search syntax for triggers on both platforms, respectively.

project = FIR AND urgency = 1

The code snippet above indicates that every Jira Service Management ticket with the highest priority (or urgency) will be automatically updated.

If the connection doesn’t work as expected, go to the “Error” tab to figure out what went wrong and make quick changes.

How Exalate Uses AI to Improve Jira Service Management to ServiceNow Connection

Exalate also provides AI-powered features to simplify connections between Jira Service Management and ServiceNow.

Aida is a documentation assistant that helps you search the documentation for solutions and scripts to technical issues related to Exalate. It speeds up your search by consolidating information from multiple Exalate-related sources in mere seconds.

AI Assist allows you to generate sync scripts faster and more efficiently. The AI chat window sits inside both the incoming and outgoing sync sections.

Incoming sync rules interpreting received data

Both AI tools use natural language to process your queries in order to fetch script suggestions for you. It considers your input, your existing configuration, and Exalate’s scripting API while doing so.

However, you’d still need to review the scripts before publishing since they are prone to mistakes, just like any other AI.
Got a use case that requires connecting ServiceNow with Jira Service Management? Contact our sales team to get started right away.

Recommended Reads:

How ServiceNow Third-Party Integration Simplifies ITSM Processes

The only way to extend ServiceNow for your ITSM is through integration.

Although this is possible with IntegrationHub and other native integrations, these solutions give you limited flexibility and customization options.

With a ServiceNow third-party integration tool, you can explore multiple use cases for connecting with other platforms, applications, databases, and more.

But all third-party integration solutions come with unique features and challenges, which you must account for before choosing one for your organization.

So, let’s explore everything worth knowing about ServiceNow third-party integration.

What are ServiceNow Integration Tools?

ServiceNow integration tools are applications or scripts that allow users to connect ServiceNow with third-party platforms (e.g., cloud services, SaaS applications, and databases).

These tools provide an interactive environment for applications that are not compatible with ServiceNow to fetch data from their native APIs and send it to ServiceNow.

Types of ServiceNow Integration Tools

Tools for connecting ServiceNow with other systems are either ServiceNow-developed or available through third parties. These tools usually fall within these categories:

Native (IntegrationHub)

IntegrationHub is a platform provided by ServiceNow to facilitate connections with third-party systems. It enables the execution of third-party APIs as a part of a flow when a specific event occurs in ServiceNow.

IntegrationHub also relies on spokes, which control the connection without the need to write a script. Installing any of the packages allows users to configure spokes for other platforms using the built-in Flow Designer.

For instance, if you want a ServiceNow connector for Jira, use bi-directional webhooks and subscribe to Jira with a ServiceNow callback URL. This will activate the Jira Spoke and assist with API calls.

Third-Party Tools

As mentioned earlier, third-party tools help ServiceNow to interact with other systems by bridging the formatting and interoperability gap.

ServiceNow third-party data integration lets you display retrieved data in Agent Workspace for CSM without storing it in your ServiceNow instance.

For this to work, you’d need the following:

Remote Table definitions and tags
OAuth 2.0 – JWT Bearer grant type
Customer service.

These third-party integrations in the ServiceNow environment can also function as either iPaaS or custom ETL solutions.

iPaaS

ServiceNow iPaaS solutions provide a suite of tools that go beyond simply getting two incompatible platforms to share data.

These solutions combine no-code configuration with code-based algorithms and triggers to control how the configuration works.

Also, embedded iPaaS systems for ServiceNow take things a step further by providing AI-powered engines and other forms of automation for scripting connections.

The services of support engineers will be at your disposal whenever the solution malfunctions.

Custom-built Solutions

Even with the multitude of options available for ServiceNow data integration, companies with massive R&D departments usually opt for custom scripts to set up connections.

Of course, this involves an expert team of developers who thoroughly understand the API architecture and the programming language needed to work with it.

This also brings about the challenge of maintenance and upgrades to keep the custom code up to par.

So when you do the math, it becomes evident that an enterprise ServiceNow third-party solution is usually the best pound-for-pound value for your money.

Examples of ServiceNow Third-Party Integration Tools

Here are some iPaaS solutions that support the integration of ServiceNow with third-party apps.

Exalate

Exalate is an app that supports ServiceNow third-party integrations as well as connections between multiple ServiceNow instances. It provides a simple Basic mode and an AI-enabled Script mode for making custom connections.

Let’s say you want to sync a ServiceNow instance with Jira. Exalate allows you to sync entities such as incidents, CMDBs, change requests, problems, and much more.

To obtain any other information related to Exalate, you can always ask Aida, the AI-enabled documentation assistant.

Exalate offers a free plan that allows you to sync up to 1,000 new issues per month. It also offers a 30-day trial for any connector.

MuleSoft

Mulesoft is the premium iPaaS connector within the Salesforce ecosystem. That’s why it is a safe bet for ServiceNow to Salesforce integration. This solution supports both default and custom connections.

Specifically, the Anypoint ServiceNow Connector integrates seamlessly with multiple other CRMs, SaaS applications, and cloud services.

Mulesoft is not limited to integrations between ServiceNow and Salesforce. You can also connect other systems bidirectionally to guarantee accuracy and timely exchanges.

Dell Boomi

Boomi is an iPaaS platform that combines the power of AI and automation to enable the synchronization of systems.

Boomi AI Studio allows users to automate workflows with low code, design event streams, and establish a foundation for trusted data.

In conjunction with ServiceNow, Boomi has developed a solution called Workflow Data Fabric, which is an automation engine for keeping track of syncs between ServiceNow and other systems.

Zapier

Zapier is an automated integration tool that allows you to connect ServiceNow with multiple other platforms. It has an extensive library of Zaps—automated connections and workflows—that enable data exchange between applications and services.

Even with advanced features such as filters and webhooks, Zapier is limited in its applicability because it doesn’t support fully custom connections and works mostly for “fire and forget” kind of use cases. You are limited to the default options.

Workato

Workato is an enterprise iPaaS solution that provides an integration and automation platform for connecting multiple applications.

Apart from basic integration, Workato also has a Data Hub as well as Workflow Bots for automating workflows and processes.

Workato Recipes also include actions and triggers that follow predefined conditions. These control how the connection works and how data flows between the two connected applications.

What Should a ServiceNow Third-Party Integration Tool Have?

Here are some must-have features for any reliable ServiceNow third-party integration tool:

Airtight Security: ServiceNow integrations should be able to protect sensitive data as it moves between platforms. This involves the inclusion of security features such as tokenization, encryption, pseudonymization, and role-based access controls. Other considerations include OAuth verification and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Multiple Connectors: The tool should support multiple connectors beyond just ServiceNow. This feature is valuable for multi-platform integrations, especially when different organizations or partners are involved.
Ease of Use: Since ServiceNow will connect your IT team with other potentially non-technical users, look for a solution that requires little technical expertise to configure and set up. This will flatten the learning curve and improve the user experience across the board.
Automation: Tools with automated event triggers and other forms of automation improve the productivity of teams with a synced ServiceNow instance. Apart from triggers, you can also automate alerts and notifications to enable real-time synchronization and speed up response times.
Affordable Pricing: Make sure the cost of licensing and subscription does not exceed the stipulated budget. Some third-party solutions for ServiceNow integration only charge per user, which usually runs up the cost for enterprises with a lot of users.
Reliable Support: When onboarding a ServiceNow integration tool, check out how they handle support and availability. This will make a huge difference when the sync malfunctions or the middleware solution unexpectedly goes offline.

As a general rule, always read independent reviews before committing to any integration service provider for ServiceNow and other platforms.

One integration tool that fits all these criteria is Exalate. It helps you achieve bi-directional sync across work management platforms, including Zendesk, Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, GitHub, Freshdesk, and others.

Why Do You Need ServiceNow Third-Party Integration?

The main reason to integrate ServiceNow with other systems is to enable the smooth flow of data between them. This can be a unidirectional or bidirectional integration.

For instance, LF Logistics uses Exalate to share updates between its help center and customer service department. The state of the ServiceNow incident was always instantly conveyed to the corresponding Jira issue.

Another reason to connect ServiceNow with third-party applications is to receive instant updates and data promptly.

Nviso, a cybersecurity MSSP, uses Exalate to share updates with partners, who mostly use ServiceNow. This is a valuable asset for companies facing constant cybersecurity threats.

Organizations like WirelessCar also deploy ServiceNow third-party integrations to streamline internal workflows and external collaborations with other brands.

Most importantly, third-party tools like Exalate shrink your SaaS sprawl and eliminate the need for context switching when collaborating with other teams or working with outsourcing partners.

Exalate: A Reliable ServiceNow Third-Party Integration

Here are the steps to follow to set up an integration between ServiceNow and any third-party application using Exalate.

Step 1: Install Exalate on ServiceNow and the Other Application

The first step is to install Exalate on ServiceNow and then on the other platforms (Jira, Azure DevOps, ServiceNow, Freshdesk, GitHub, Zendesk, Salesforce, etc).

You can request your Exalate for ServiceNow and other instances via the integrations page. Also, Exalate for ServiceNow can be installed on Docker.

Watch the full Exalate installation video for ServiceNow.

Step 2: Connect ServiceNow and the Other Application

First, set up a connection between ServiceNow and the other application. One side initiates the connection and generates an invitation code. The other side accepts the connection invitation using this invitation code.

It doesn’t matter which side starts initiating the connection; the Exalate UI remains the same.

Let’s start the connection from ServiceNow.

Navigate to the “Connections” screen in the Exalate console on the left-hand side menu bar.

Click on the “Initiate Connection” button.

Enter the “Destination Instance URL”. The destination instance URL is the URL of the application you need to sync with. I have considered Jira in this example. But it can be any other application Exalate supports.

The Basic mode allows you to set up simple connections for syncing basic ServiceNow fields and entities.

Let’s use the Script Mode.

Choose “Script” and click “Next”. Give a short name to the local instance and a short name to the remote instance.

initiate a script sync between ServiceNow and Jira

Click “Next”.

An invitation code is generated. This needs to be copied and pasted into the destination instance. So click on “Copy invitation code”, then click “Done”.

copy exalate invitation code for integrations

On the destination instance, go to the Exalate console and select the “Connections” tab.

This time around, click the “Accept invitation” button.

Paste the code you have just copied.

Step 3: Configure the Connection to Decide What to Share

On the previous screen, if you click “Configure Sync,” you will be shown a panel that looks like this:

In the “Outgoing sync” on the ServiceNow side, write the code to control the destination of all values going to the other side. The destination instance accepts scripts for controlling “Incoming sync”.

Exalate’s Script mode features AI Assist, accessible via a chat window in both the incoming and outgoing sync rules tabs.

The scripts are created based on your input, current configurations, and Exalate’s scripting API and should appear shortly.

In the generated script, red lines show what will be removed, while green lines indicate new additions.

Like any AI tool, AI Assist isn’t perfect and can sometimes miss the mark. To achieve the best results, ensure your prompts are as clear and specific as possible.

Step 4: Start Automatic Synchronization Using Triggers

Once you have decided what information must be sent and received, you might want to start the synchronization process automatically based on certain events.

This is done via Triggers in Exalate. Based on the conditions (filters) you set, sync will happen in accordance with the Sync Rules.

You can write advanced triggers like syncing incidents assigned to a particular person or syncing incidents that have a particular text in a comment or description.
Need help connecting ServiceNow with any third-party app? Reach out to our engineers right away to get started.

Recommended Reads:

How to a Sync Single Salesforce Case to Multiple Jira Projects

This article was originally published on the Atlassian community.

Teams working with Jira often want to collaborate with other teams using different work management systems and CRMs. Marketers and salespeople opt for Salesforce as the go-to option.

But here is a common scenario.

The sales team wants outgoing data from Salesforce to appear on more than one Jira project without having to copy the contents and fields one by one.

Sounds like a challenge, right?

Don’t worry. Exalate provides a two-way synchronization option to help you exchange data between both systems automatically.

All you need to do is set up a connection and configure the sync with a simple line of code.

Let’s break it down further.

What Should You Consider When Syncing Jira and Salesforce?

When two teams want to sync their platforms, security is the first thing that comes to mind. You want to ensure that data is protected in transit or at rest.

Exalate uses tokenization, security keys, firewalls, and other encryption protocols to secure data. Learn more about this from the security whitepaper.

Another primary consideration is autonomy. Both sides of the connection should be able to dictate what they share. This granular control helps teams keep private comments in-house while sharing essential information.

Due to ever-increasing workloads and tech sprawl, flexibility and scalability have become critical concerns.

For instance, if you want to sync custom fields between Jira and Salesforce, you need a flexible solution that supports custom connections and API calls.

Solutions like AI Assist and automated triggers can make Jira to Salesforce integration scenarios more flexible.

Also as the number of tickets and syncs add up, the integration should be able to handle the increase in traffic and network demands.

How to Sync a Salesforce Case with Multiple Jira Projects

Let’s say you want to sync the content of a custom field (Sync Over [sync_over__c]) in a Salesforce case to appear in issues in different Jira projects. I’ll give you a brief run-through of how things work with Exalate.

First, agree on the fields that should be synced as well as the mapping for the connection.
Both sides need to install Exalate on Jira and Salesforce. Follow the installation guide to ensure that Exalate is properly set up on your instance.
After installation, set up a Script mode connection. This mode makes it possible to customize the connection and explore multiple scenarios using an AI-powered engine.
With the connection set up, click Edit Connection to open the scripting console.
In the incoming sync on the Jira side, add a new condition under the conditional tree.

if (firstSync) {

  if(replica.sync_over__c = true){
     issue.projectKey  = "DEMO"
  }
    issue.projectKey  = "SMP"
    issue.typeName    = nodeHelper.getIssueType(replica.type?.name, issue.projectKey)?.name ?: "Task"
}
. . .

Wait for a few seconds for the cross-platform connection to be established. You can then drop comments or make changes to fields and see them reflected in both directions.
That’s all! Continue tweaking the code to get different fields to interact automatically based on pre-approved permissions and mappings.

Watch the video to see this implemented in practice.

You can also set up triggers to ensure the connection follows pre-set conditions. For instance, Exalate allows users to emphasize that all issues within a project named “DEMO” and with the label “customer” should be synced over instantly.

The code for this trigger in Jira Query Language will be:

project = DEMO AND label = customer

If the case is coming from a prospect, the trigger query in Salesforce Object Query Language SOQL will be:

StageName= 'Prospecting'

This search query defines the Opportunity stage as ‘Prospecting’. This will help the Jira devs better understand how to prioritize and address the issue.

What are the Benefits of Jira to Salesforce Integration?

Getting a Jira issue in sync with Salesforce will help your organization in the following ways:

Teams will be able to exchange valuable information instantly without manually requesting it through spreadsheets and email threads.
Due to the constant visibility of all necessary information regarding their synchronization, both sides will collaborate transparently and productively.
Automatically syncing an issue with a case removes the probability of human error, data duplication, and inaccuracies.
It also prevents context switching, as both sides stay in their own instances while exerting granular control over what is shared.

Need help syncing Jira issues with Salesforce cases? Book a demo with our engineers now.

Recommended Reads:

Exalate Team Retreat: A Malaysian Bonding Experience

One thing integration experts know for sure: the best work happens when the teams are in sync. That’s why we took our team to Kuala Lumpur for a retreat to strengthen connections and spend quality time together.

Teaming up with Midstay, we planned the perfect mix of fun and team bonding. Over two action-packed days, our people enjoyed everything from escape-room challenges to a gala dinner—all set in the stunning M Resort & Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Team Bonding is the Mission

With colleagues in different countries, this retreat was all about team bonding and creating personal connections together.

Day one started with a team breakfast before we shipped off to the Chamber of Hocus Challenge – Project Fallout.

We suited up, received the mission brief, and took on the challenge like a well-oiled special forces team.

Exhausted from saving the virtual world, we capped off day one with sunset cocktails and a welcoming dinner.

Day two kicked off with a city walk before breakfast, taking in the beautiful surroundings of Kuala Lumpur.

Then came the real challenge: The Amazing Race.

This was one more great opportunity for our team to get their minds together to solve problems, communicate, and share tons of hearty laughs.

The day wrapped up with a well-earned break at the hotel before we got ready for our gala dinner with a casual-chic dress code. It was a night of good food and connections.

But before heading home, he stopped by for one last adventure at the Batu Caves to take in the ancestral sites and connect with the local culture. It was the perfect cultural activity to finish off the retreat with.

And with that, we called time on our trip to Kuala Lumpur and headed home with a ton of shared memories.

Mission Kuala Lumpur: accomplished.

Special thanks to our partners from Midstay for helping us make this happen! Check out the full story and activities here.

Previous Adventures:

Perfecting the Multi-Platform Integration Strategy For Companies

The-Project-Management-Blueprint-for-Agile-Collaboration-Between-Teams

Finding a way to connect multiple platforms will save your organization time and money. Companies across industries are looking for multi-platform integration tools to connect the systems within their SaaS sprawl.

While this might improve connectivity across platforms and organizations, it can also act as a source of hiccups and business interruptions—we don’t want that.

So in this article, I’ll explore everything worth knowing about multi-platform integration.

What is Multi-Platform Integration?

Multi-platform integration is the process of connecting more than one independent system within a company or across organizations to allow them to share information and interact seamlessly.

As the name suggests, multi-platform integration involves at least two non-compatible systems. This could be an integration between a work management system like Jira Service Management and a CRM solution like Salesforce CRM.

Similar to cross-platform integration, connecting multiple systems makes it possible for teams using different applications to go over the compatibility and interoperability hump without incurring massive technical debt.

Multi-Platform Integration Models

The connection models for multiplatform integration vary by setup and underlying architecture. Let’s go through the most common models.

Point-to-Point Connection: This involves directly connecting two or more systems via API endpoints. This is perfect for cross-company collaborations and partnerships.
One-to-Many Connection (ESB): This model features an enterprise service bus (ESB), which acts as a centralized message broker for handling communication between various systems. It can be used to integrate complex internal systems of large companies.
Hub and Spoke Connection: In this multi-platform integration model, the central hub acts as a connector between multiple endpoints through spokes. This works perfectly for internal integrations involving multiple systems and teams.
Hybrid Integration Platform (HIP): This involves integrating on-premises and multi-cloud environments, making it possible for large organizations with many internal and external cross-platform connections.

Learn how Exalate helps companies get the best out of every B2B integration scenario with other organizations.
Read more

One-Way vs. Two-Way vs. Multi-Platform Integration

Going by the name, one-way integration is the unidirectional connection between two systems, where only one of them sends information and the other acts as the recipient. There’s no back-and-forth transaction between them.

Two-way integration involves a bidirectional connection between two platforms in order to get them to share data back and forth. Both sides can decide what to share and what to keep private.

How does this differ from multi-platform integration?

Connecting several platforms at the same time can feature a combination of one-way and two-way connections.

Let’s imagine a tripartite multi-platform connection between Jira, ServiceNow, and Azure DevOps.

The ticket comes in through Jira Service Management, and its contents get forwarded to the team on ServiceNow. They can now decide to forward it further to the developers on Azure DevOps.

After working on the associated work item in Azure DevOps, the status is forwarded back to the ServiceNow instance, and subsequently to Jira Service Management, completing the cycle.

You can see how information flows bidirectionally across three levels of connection.

So, in essence, multi-platform integration involves more than one platform. Depending on the model, the integration could feature more than 3 platforms and different forms of directional data flow.

Use Cases for Multi-Platform Integration

Here are some real-world examples of multi-platform integration.

Support Triage and Ticket Routing

Just like in the tripartite connection mentioned above, you can implement multi-platform integration for support triage.

When the homepage of the company’s website is broken, an incident will be created in ServiceNow. The integration solution will create an issue for the support staff using Jira Service Management. They’ll now decide to escalate the issue to the development team for further assistance as an Azure DevOps work item.

Once the development team has sorted the issue with the website, they can mark the work item as “closed,” and the incident state will change to “resolved”.

This same multi-platform connection is also applicable to security incidents and outsourced service management.

Product Customer Service

A financial services provider can use multi-platform integration to improve the customer experience for users of its applications or web services.

For example, when a banking app user forgets their password, they can open a Zendesk ticket with the help desk, who will then forward it to the service team in ServiceNow.

And boom! The password has been reset.

Sometimes, a virtual assistant replaces one of the systems in the pipeline. The chatbot will automate the resolution by sending you a password reset link. So the minor password reset issue no longer needs to clog up the service queue.

Retail and eCommerce Enablement

A multi-platform connection between a CRM (Salesforce), an eCommerce platform (Shopify), and a payment gateway (Stripe) will help online stores run their business smoothly.

You can also provide your shoppers with a smooth shopping experience by connecting with live chat support and AI-powered self-service portals.

Supply Chain Management

Logistics companies can manage their supply chains by linking their field service managers with drivers and haulers across multiple platforms.

For instance, a trucking company can connect its support staff with the field management dashboard to monitor delivery progress. Users will now be able to track their packages from their mobile devices.

Read how a global logistics company used Exalate to streamline processes between their call center and support teams.
Read more

How to Implement Multi-Platform Integration

Back to the tripartite connection we had earlier (Jira, ServiceNow, and Azure DevOps). I’ll use them as an example to show how to implement multi-platform integration using Exalate.

Step 1: Exalate Installation

First, you need to install Exalate on all platforms.

To install Exalate on Jira, go to the Atlassian marketplace and the Azure DevOps marketplace. For the ServiceNow installation, start your trial from the integrations page.

Follow the video tutorial to get the complete step-by-step installation instructions.

Step 2: Jira to ServiceNow Connection

After installation, set up a connection between Jira Cloud and ServiceNow.

Click the “Initiate connection” button in the “Connections” panel.

Enter the destination instance URL, which is Jira in our case.

After a quick check, you’ll be prompted to choose between two configuration modes: the Basic mode and the Script mode.

The Basic mode is used for simple synchronization use cases and consists of predefined sync rules. Using this mode, you can sync only incidents and issues.

The Script mode allows you to use Exalate’s full functionality, including the AI-powered scripting engine. You can add advanced mappings, set conditional logic, and do much more using Groovy-based scripts.

Let’s continue with the Script mode for this specific multi-platform data integration.

Select the “Script” mode on the modal that prompts you to choose the modes and click “Next”.

On the Connection details screen, give a name to the Jira and the ServiceNow instances.

Add a description to understand how you plan to use the connection and click “Initiate”.

Copy the generated invitation code, click “Done” and go to the Jira instance.

Head over to your Jira instance, navigate to ‘Connections’ in the Exalate console, and click ‘Accept Invitation’.

Then, paste the code in the designated field.

The code will be validated automatically when you click ‘Next’. Select the project on the Jira side, and then click ‘Confirm’ to proceed.

You can configure the sync rules for each side independently from the other side. This is intentional, allowing each side to maintain its autonomy.

Once you’ve accepted the invitation and the connection is established between Jira Cloud and ServiceNow.

Step 3: ServiceNow to Azure DevOps Connection

The Exalate UI is the same across all systems, so you can follow the same configuration steps from the previous connection.

Select “Script” on the screen to choose the configuration type and click “Next”.

You can give each side of the connection a name and an optional description. This will help other people who may need to work with these connections later.

After entering the details, click the green “Next” button. In the drop-down box, select a project from the available options, and then click the green “Initiate” button.

Copy and paste the invitation code over into Azure DevOps. Then click the green “Next” button.

Successful Azure DevOps ServiceNow connection in Script mode

The connection between Azure DevOps and ServiceNow is successful.

Step 4: Configure Mappings

You need to set up mappings for each part of the connection using Groovy scripts.

But you don’t have to write all the scripts from scratch. Fortunately, Exalate comes with an AI-powered scripting engine that accepts user prompts and produces scripts as output.

Let’s say you want to sync urgency between ServiceNow and Jira, the code for the incoming data in ServiceNow will be:

def urgencyMapping = [
// Jira issue urgency <-> Snow incident urgency
“High”: “1 – High”,
“Critical”: “1 – High”,
“Medium”: “2 – Medium”,
“Low”: “3 – Low”
]
def defaultUrgency = “3 – Low”
def urgencyName = urgencyMapping[replica.urgency.value] ?: defaultUrgency // set default urgency in case the proper urgency could not be found
entity.urgencyValue = urgencyName

When working with custom states and urgencies, you can tweak the code to match the values on both sides.

Then for the other side of the connection between ServiceNow and Azure DevOps. Let’s say you want to sync a custom field named “Mood” between both instances. The generated code for the mapping will look like this:

workItem.customFields.”Mood”.value = replica.customFields.”Mood”.value

This snippet fetches the text value from the custom field in ServiceNow and stores the value as a replica (a payload) which is then received in Azure DevOps.

Step 5: Set Up Automation Triggers

To get Exalate to initiate any transaction between systems automatically, set triggers and detail them using filters.

Jira Cloud uses Jira Query Language (JQL), Azure DevOps uses WIQL (Work Item Query Language), while ServiceNow relies on the advanced search syntax.

Platform	Code	Meaning
Jira Cloud	project = LEVIOSA AND labels = sync	Synchronize any issue in project ‘LEVIOSA’ with label ‘sync’.
Azure DevOps	[Work Item Type] = ‘Task’ AND System.TeamProject = ‘Leviosa’	Synchronize all work items with type ‘Task’ from a project ‘Leviosa’
ServiceNow	short_descriptionLIKELeviosa	Sync incidents that include “Leviosa” in the description

With your triggers set, your multi-platform system integration is now ready to exchange data and establish an automated ecosystem between teams.

What are the Challenges of Multi-Platform Integration?

While integrating multiple systems might solve many of your organization’s connectivity problems, it also presents a host of other unique challenges.

Security and Compliance Concerns

Any connection with another system introduces an additional potential point of failure. The more platforms involved in the connection, the greater the security concerns and the easier it is for things to go wrong.

Another concern is compliance. Depending on the data being shared across applications, you might need to adhere to different compliance standards.

For example, financial data going from a payment gateway to a service desk might require a solution that is compliant with GDPR, CCPA, etc.

Compatibility and Interoperability Issues

Although multi-system integration gets rid of compatibility and interoperability issues, the solution might not be perfect.

In some cases, you might need to onboard more than one integration service provider to get things working, especially in cases of vendor lock-in and legacy systems.

System Maintenance

When more than one system is connected in a multi-platform integration, there needs to be a way to keep track of API changes and service disruptions. If not managed properly, it could increase the technical debt.

Scalability Limitations

Any multipartite connection will struggle to scale because the needs of all sides must be considered at every stage. This introduces one more hurdle when one side experiences a surge in tickets, and the other lacks the capacity to handle such an unprecedented event.

Also, API rate limitations on different platforms can affect the applicability of any middleware or third-party integration application. Rate limits could literally make or break the integration by affecting the solution’s performance.

How to Make Multi-Platform Integration Work Smoothly

Adding more systems to an integration scenario exponentially increases the chances of things going wrong. So, let’s go through some of the best practices of multiple platform integration.

Set clear objectives for all parties. Meet with other side admins to determine the fields, objects, entities, and projects that should be integrated.
Align with your partners on the technological solution to choose for the integration. This will help all parties check security and compliance concerns off their checklists.
Add firewalls and extra security measures to protect sensitive data from falling into the wrong hands. Use tokenization, multi-factor authentication, and encryption to keep data safe at rest and in transit.
Use monitoring tools and real-time alerts to track progress and get ahead of potentially harmful incidents.
Standardize all formats and run tests in a sandbox environment to ensure that all transformations are accurate and consistent.

How Exalate Handles Multi-Platform Integration

Exalate is a multi-platform integration tool that supports one-way and two-way syncs between several diverse systems.

With a consistent UI, any user can set up connections between platforms such as Jira (Cloud and On-premise), GitHub, Zendesk, Freshdesk, ServiceNow, Salesforce, and Azure DevOps.

The Exalate console also comes with an AI-powered scripting engine that supports the Groovy language (it is easy to learn).

By connecting multiple platforms, Exalate aims to help organizations create a network of connected companies. This also works in the MSP integration context as well as in collaborations with suppliers, vendors, and outsourcing partners.
If you have a complex use case involving multiple platforms, contact us for a quick demo with our engineering team.

Recommended Reading:

How to Sync Date and Time Formats between Azure DevOps Jira Cloud

This article was originally published on the Atlassian community.

Jira Cloud and Azure DevOps have different APIs that support different data formats, even for the same type of data. Azure DevOps uses the HTML format, while Jira uses Wiki.

When transferring date-time information between both platforms, transformers need to work behind the scenes to convert between both formatting styles. That’s the only way to get coherent data.

But, this conversion is not available by default due to the lack of compatibility. So, a third-party tool is needed to bridge this gap.

In this article, I’ll discuss how to sync date and time formats between Azure DevOps and Jira Cloud using Exalate.

Use Case Requirements

If your Jira and Azure DevOps instances are hosted in different time zones, and you need to manipulate the date-time fields so that the same date is kept, here is how we do it.

Let us assume the two teams are 5 hours apart. Here is what we can do:

“Due Date” and “Start Date” are custom date-time fields in Azure DevOps
“Start date” is a custom date field in Jira
“Due” is the standard due date field in Jira

We would like to add 5 hours to the Jira timestamp when they are received in the Azure DevOps instance. Then, we would like to subtract 5 hours from the Azure DevOps timestamp when they are received in Jira.

How to Use Exalate to Sync Date and Time Formats between Azure DevOps Jira Cloud

Exalate comes with an AI-powered scripting engine that allows you to write mapping rules for any connection.

It supports the Groovy language, which you can use to write the transformation algorithm for the date-time information.

Follow these steps to get started with Exalate:

Install Exalate and Set Up a Connection

To get started, install Exalate on both Jira Cloud and Azure DevOps from their respective marketplaces or from the integrations page.

For Exalate to handle this use, you need to set up a Script Mode connection. You can follow the complete configuration guide to see how it’s done—it’s pretty simple.

Once connected, click Configure Sync and navigate to the Rules tab, where you’ll set up sync rules.

In the Rules tab, you’ll find default scripts for syncing basic fields like summary, description, comments, and attachments. To sync custom fields or behaviors, you’ll need to add your own scripts.

The Rules tab is divided into:

Outgoing Sync: Defines the information sent from Jira to Azure DevOps.
Incoming Sync: Maps the information received from Azure DevOps into Jira.

The same exists on the Azure DevOps side.

Jira Outgoing Script

replica.customFields."Start date" = issue.customFields."Start date"
replica.due = issue.due

replica.customFields."Start date" = issue.customFields."Start date"
replica.due = issue.due

The script for the data going out of Jira is being fetched from the custom field named “Start date”, while the due date is going over as the replica.due expression.

Jira Incoming Script

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat
import java.text.DateFormat
import java.util.Calendar
import java.util.Date

def datePattern = "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss";
DateFormat formatter = new SimpleDateFormat(datePattern);
dateString = replica."start"
dateString = dateString.replaceAll("T"," ").trim();
dateString = dateString.replaceAll("Z"," ").trim(); 
date = formatter.parse(dateString);
def timestamp = date.time
Calendar calendar = Calendar.getInstance()
calendar.timeInMillis = timestamp
calendar.add(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY, -5)
def updatedTimestamp = calendar.timeInMillis
issue.customFields."Start date".value = updatedTimestamp

dateString = replica."duedate"
dateString = dateString.replaceAll("T"," ").trim();
dateString = dateString.replaceAll("Z"," ").trim(); 
date = formatter.parse(dateString);
timestamp = date.time
calendar.timeInMillis = timestamp
calendar.add(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY, -5)
issue.due = calendar.getTime()

The code snippet above allows you to set the datePattern and parsing it through a formatter. It also fetches the timestamp down to milliseconds from the calendar.

The calendar.add(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY, -5) expression specifies that the timestamp coming into Jira should be at least 5 hours behind the original time obtained from Azure DevOps.

Azure DevOps Outgoing Script

replica."start" = workItem."Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.StartDate"
replica."duedate" = workItem."Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.DueDate"

This code snippet fetches the start and due dates from the default Microsoft Azure DevOps Server (formerly VSTS or Visual Studio Team System).

Azure DevOps Incoming Script

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat
import java.util.Calendar
import java.util.Date

def convertJiraTimeToAdoTime(String dateString){
    if(dateString == null) return
    String inputFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss.S"
    String outputFormat = "yyyy-MM-dd'T'HH:mm:ss'Z'"

    // Create SimpleDateFormat objects for the input and output formats
    SimpleDateFormat inputDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(inputFormat)
    SimpleDateFormat outputDateFormat = new SimpleDateFormat(outputFormat)

    // Parse the input date string into a Date object
    Date date = inputDateFormat.parse(dateString)

    def timestamp = date.time
    Calendar calendar = Calendar.getInstance()
    calendar.timeInMillis = timestamp
    calendar.add(Calendar.HOUR_OF_DAY, 5)
    def updatedTimestamp = calendar.timeInMillis

    // Convert the Date object into the output format
    return outputDateFormat.format(updatedTimestamp) // String
}
// does not set the field
String inputDateString = replica.customFields."Start date"?.value
workItem."Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.StartDate" = convertJiraTimeToAdoTime(inputDateString)
inputDateString = replica.due
workItem."Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.DueDate" = convertJiraTimeToAdoTime(inputDateString)

This code snippet converts the incoming date-time information into a string before parsing it as input into the date object. It then fetches the date from the calendar to be 5 hours ahead of the time fetched from the Jira Cloud instance.

Once you’re done, review the scripts to make sure everything is in order before publishing the changes.

That’s all! Your date-time formats are now in sync between Azure DevOps and Jira Cloud.

Using script-based solutions like Exalate can seem overwhelming at first, but if done correctly, they can be very effective for your integration needs.

Have any specific use case that requires handling different data formats? Just ask our integration engineers for a walkthrough of what’s possible.

Learn more about how Qualco implements a Jira Azure DevOps integration using Exalate to cut down average incident resolution time

How to Sync Domain-Separated ServiceNow Instances With Jira

ServiceNow supports domain-separated instances that allow admins and users working with a single instance to isolate their environments.

Data shared with one user will not be visible to other users within the same environment.

But this makes it tricky when you want to escalate an incident or problem to users working with a different ITSM solution such as Jira or Zendesk.

How do you keep updates private and restricted to a certain instance?

Domain-Separated Instance Sync: ServiceNow to Jira Use Case

Let’s say you have access to a ServiceNow from two domain-restricted accounts—one ACME account as the admin and one account restricted to the Cisco domain.

By default, never the twain shall meet so both users working within the same instance will be unable to access relevant data.

To bridge the gap, the first step is to install Exalate on both the ACME and Cisco domains.

So when you make comments or add information to either instance, the information will appear on another ITSM solution, such as Jira Service Management.

Also, when you create a JSM ticket, you can escalate it to a specific ServiceNow domain to make it private for only admins on that instance.

That way, either side will have only the necessary information.

How does this help your organization?

For starters, syncing domain-separated data helps both sides, using the ServiceNow instance the opportunity to decide what to keep private and what to share.

Also, the organization using Jira can centralize information from two different domains in a single issue for easy access.

Primary Requirements and Challenges

Obtaining the right information from the API on both sides.
Keeping the data separated when mapping fields from entities and objects.
Assigning the right Jira custom field to the correct ServiceNow domain.
Writing or generating the correct sync rules for both the incoming and outgoing data.
Creating triggers to update the custom fields on Jira automatically.

How Exalate Syncs Jira and Domain-Separated ServiceNow Instances

Exalate supports one-way and two-way integration between Jira and ServiceNow, as well as Zendesk, Azure DevOps, Salesforce, GitHub, etc.

Exalate also provides an AI-powered chatbot for generating Groovy scripts, which you can use to customize advanced integration scenarios.

To automate integrations and manage bulk operations, you can rely on Exalate triggers on all sides of the connection.

To use Exalate, first install it on both Jira and both ServiceNow domains. You need to connect the Jira instance with both individual ServiceNow instances. Then, you can link both ServiceNow instances with each other.

Follow this step-by-step Getting Started guide to connect any two systems.

Since this use case often requires scripting, you need to choose the Exalate Script Mode when setting up the connection.

You have two options:

Outgoing sync (on the ServiceNow side) refers to the data being sent over to Jira.
Incoming sync (on the Jira side) refers to the data to be received from ServiceNow.

At this stage, you don’t need to write any mapping rules. Every configuration has to be done within the systems.

To get both instances in sync, copy the incident number from the first ServiceNow instance and Exalate it from the Jira issue. Then do the same thing for the other ServiceNow instance.

Now all three systems are in sync. You can start playing around with the configuration to see how things work and where to make possible tweaks.

Congratulations! You have successfully mapped the Jira Service Management issue to two domain-separated ServiceNow instances.

If you still have questions or want to see how Exalate is tailored to your specific use case, book a demo with one of our experts right away.

Have a different Jira ServiceNow integration scenario in mind? Check out more use cases and see what’s possible!
Read more

Grow Your Network with the Best Jira Integration Tools

Jira is a data gold mine when used and configured correctly. That’s why you need to keep it in sync with other internal and external systems (or instances) as part of any collaboration.

For companies looking to connect their Jira with other systems unidirectionally or bidirectionally, the vast library of Jira integration tools will always be at your disposal.

But who wants to deal with all that paradox of choice, anyway? If only there was a way to choose the perfect Jira integration based on features and requirements.

Oh wait, there is!

In this article, I’ll explore the best Jira integration tools for enterprises, starting with the essential features to look for when making your choice.

What are the Must-Have Features of Jira Integration Tools?

When choosing tools for Jira integration, consider the following features and capabilities.

Automation: Modern integration solutions require automation to improve system synchronization accuracy and efficiency. Whether you use conditional triggers or AI-powered scripting, look for tools that can automate your workflow.
Data transformation: Jira integration solutions should be able to transform data fetched from the APIs of other systems while retaining contextual information, e.g., they should maintain the same date-time format when integrating Jira with Salesforce.
Level of support: When things go wrong with the integration tool or your admin gets caught up in a technical quagmire, the vendor’s support engineers should be on hand to guide you through the fix.
Security and privacy: Since most integrations occur between systems that contain sensitive information at rest, always prioritize security features and compliance.
Ease of integration: The Jira solution might have the best cutting-edge features, but if users are unable to configure or make changes to it, it will also increase the technical department.
Collaboration features: Teams working on the same project should focus on integration solutions with dashboards, threaded comments, debugging consoles, and accessible sync queues.
Customization options: The solution should be able to handle custom connections beyond the default fields. This includes drag-and-drop interfaces for API management and scripting consoles for establishing the mapping.
Scalability: The features on the Jira data integration tool should be able to handle increasing workloads and user counts without experiencing any significant service disruptions.

If the Jira integration solution ticks all these boxes, then it’s the perfect tool for cross-team and cross-company integration scenarios.

Start off your integration journey by connecting two Jira instances to share data with each other.

10 Best Jira Integration Tools For Smooth Collaborations

Based on the must-have features mentioned earlier, we’ve gathered a list of tools that support Jira integration with other Jira instances and non-compatible systems.

I’ll also share their features to give you a broader view of their product offering and unique selling points.

ScriptRunner for Jira

ScriptRunner for Jira is an integration solution that helps users connect Jira projects and workflows to establish a hitch-free uni- or bi-directional sync.

Apart from Jira Cloud and Data Center, ScriptRunner also supports connections with other Atlassian apps such as BitBucket, Confluence, and Monday.com.

It allows users to work with Bitbucket Cloud and Jira Cloud integration tools for their projects.

ScriptRunner for Jira Features

Script Console for building and managing APIs,
Workflow Extensions for controlling issue transitions in Jira Cloud,
Script Listeners for triggering actions based on specific events,
Scheduled Jobs for automating the creation of issues and reports,
Scripted fields for customizing how the information is displayed,
Enhanced Search for easy searching using JQL functions and subqueries.

Exalate

Exalate is a Jira integration solution that enables the connection of Jira Cloud and Data Center instances with each other as well as with other systems. Platforms supported by Exalate include Salesforce, Zendesk, ServiceNow, GitHub, Azure DevOps, and many more.

As an AI-powered integration solution, Exalate allows users to script their connections using human prompts. Your data is also secure with Exalate, thanks to multiple layers of security, which is backed by ISO 27001:2022 certification.

Exalate Features

No-code Basic mode for simple connections
Platform native triggers for automated syncs
Bulk operation support for faster integrations
Robust queuing mechanism for monitoring syncs
AI-enabled Groovy engine (AI Assist) for scripting custom connections
Aida, an AI-powered documentation assistant for locating vital information in seconds.

Power BI Connector for Jira

This no-code solution for integrating Jira and Power BI helps you build custom Jira reports and dashboards in Power BI. It works for Jira Work Management, Service Management, and Software.

The Power BI connector for Jira Cloud is free. However, the version for the Data Center connection costs $1600 per year (for 50 users).

The only limitation to this solution is that it only connects Jira with Power BI and no other platforms. So, its scope of applicability is limited.

Power BI Connector for Jira Features

Pre-configured Jira dashboard templates
Scheduled refreshes for actual Jira reporting
Custom data exports using JQL and BASIC filters.
Data export from Tempo suite, Xray, and other marketplace apps

Unito

As a two-way integration solution that supports connections with multiple platforms, Unito makes it possible for teams to connect their Jira instance in a cross-company or cross-platform setting.

Unito supports historical data synchronization by making use of an intuitive drag-and-drop editor.

In addition, Unito supports connections with over 60 different applications and tools, primarily available on-demand or for a premium.

Unito Features

One-way and two-way data synchronization
Contact merging by cross-referencing email addresses
Workflow drafting and flow duplication
Custom field mapping and rules configuration.

Zapier

Zapier is one of the most versatile and accessible automation tools for Jira integration. It supports cross-platform integration using pre-configured connectors.

Although Zapier supports Jira connection, it also provides access to a vast library of connections between CRMs, work management systems, databases, and others.

One major disadvantage of using Zapier is that you can’t explore custom connections or script them based on your own rules.

Zapier Features

Zaps for automating workflows
Tables or databases for storing data
Interfaces (custom pages) for creating your own workflows
Canvas for mapping workflows using AI
Chatbots for answering customer questions.

Workato

As integration solutions go, Workato is one of the best tools for integrating Jira with other platforms. It automates complex workflows by using a specified set of instructions.

Workato has a vast library of pre-built connectors used to integrate thousands of SaaS apps, databases, and ERPs, both on-prem and in the cloud.

Workato Features

Actions — conditions for controlling every connector
Triggers — automatic action prompters configure events to occur automatically.
API Platform — an all-in-one console for building, running, and managing APIs.
Workflow Apps — a drag-and-drop editor for creating custom workflows between teams.

Tray.ai

Tray is a platform for building AI-powered agents that connect communication tools, work management systems, online databases, payment solutions, and more.

The Jira connector provided by Tray can connect with ERPs, CRMs, and other platforms to automate data transfer and speed up ticket resolution.

Tray.ai Features

Merlin Agent Builder — an AI-powered solution for delivering production-ready AI agents.
API Management for visual low-code development for any integration, automation, or API.
Merlin AI-powered chat

Mulesoft Anypoint Platform

Mulesoft is an all-in-one platform that provides Anypoint connectors for controlling how Jira, Salesforce, and other systems interact with each other.

The Anypoint Jira Connector uses the Jira REST API v3 to synchronize data and automate business processes between Jira and third-party applications, either on-premises or in the cloud.

Although this connector uses OAuth2 and Basic authentication, it doesn’t support personal access tokens (PATs).

Mulesoft Anypoint Platform Features

Anypoint Flex Gateway and API Governance
Anypoint API Manager and API Experience Hub
Anypoint API Designer and Code Builder
Anypoint Studio – an IDE for integration and API development
Anypoint Runtime Manager
Anypoint Monitoring and Security.

Make

Make is a visual-first integration solution for synchronizing data between Jira and multiple other platforms. Its marketplace supports over 2000 applications, including social media apps, CRM tools, design platforms, databases, email, and communication tools.

The drag-and-drop editor allows you to visualize the connections and set up triggers with a no-code toolkit.

Make Features

Flow control and data filtering
Smooth error handling
Integration with popular web services and systems
Visual workflow editor for no-code scenario configuration
Data management and integration
2FA and company-wide SSO

How Exalate Outshines all Jira Integration Tools

Exalate uses AI-powered scripting assistance to set up mapping rules between default and custom fields. It supports real-time connections between multiple Jira instances and Jira with systems like ServiceNow and Zendesk.

For instance, you can connect Jira Service Management with Jira Software to keep devs and support staff in sync. The data from the Service Management instance can be “exalated” to Zendesk or even Azure DevOps for further attention.

Exalate also works well for several Jira to ServiceNow use cases and connections with Salesforce cases. Most importantly, the data stays secure throughout the pipeline.

Want to discuss your Jira integration use case? Contact our solutions engineers for more details.