Microsoft Lists Sync for Jira
Setup takes about 15 minutes. Here's how it works, step by step.
Before you start
You'll need:
- Jira Cloud (not Data Center or Server)
- Microsoft Lists or SharePoint lists, on a Microsoft 365 work or school plan that includes SharePoint
- A Microsoft 365 admin to approve the connection, once
- A Jira admin to install the app
Install the app
A Jira admin installs Microsoft Lists Sync for Jira from the Atlassian Marketplace. In Jira, go to Apps, then Explore more apps, search for Microsoft Lists Sync for Jira and select Get app.
Once it's installed, open it from Apps in Jira's top bar.
Set it up
Connect
Connect Microsoft 365 from inside Jira. A Microsoft 365 admin approves the connection once. Only Jira admins (and whoever they allow) can set it up.
Map
Pick a list and a Jira space. Shim suggests where each column goes in Jira, and which issue type each item becomes. Change whatever you want.
Preview
You get a list of every issue Shim is about to create or update, plus every value it can't copy over exactly and why.
Test
Run it on 5 items and go look at them in Jira. If something's off, undo the test and fix the mapping.
Go live
Shim does the rest, and keeps the list and Jira in sync from then on. Any time it changes a value, it saves the old one first, so you can always undo it.
What syncs
| In Microsoft Lists | In Jira |
|---|---|
| Items | Jira issues, one per item, with the issue type you pick |
| Columns | The Jira fields you map |
| Comments | Comments, with the name of whoever wrote them |
| Attachments | Attachments on the issue |
| Person columns | Jira users, matched for you |
| Parent and child items | Lists don't have them, so every item ends up at the same level in Jira |
When something goes wrong
If one item has a problem, Shim skips it and keeps going with the rest. The problem shows up in the app with an error code, what went wrong, and how to fix it. Here's one you might see in the preview:
Move the print room
Priority "Urgent" has no match in WORK. Pick a Jira priority.
Fix it, and Shim picks the item up again on the next sync.
An error code's first digit tells you where the problem is. E1 is the connection, E2 is Jira, E3 is your field mapping, and E4 is a field rule in Microsoft Lists.
Undoing changes
Any time Shim changes a value, it saves the old one first. To undo a change, open the item in the app's change history and select Restore field.
The 5-item test is there so you can check the result before anything else moves. If something's off, open the test in the app and select Undo test. Shim removes the issues the test created, as long as nobody has changed them since. If someone has, Shim leaves that issue alone and labels it instead.
Common questions
Can I sync comments between Microsoft Lists and Jira?
Yes, both ways. Each comment shows who wrote it.
What if someone changes the same field on both sides?
You pick which side wins for each field, or have Shim ask you each time. Either way, Shim hangs on to the other value, so you can switch to it later.
Who has to approve the connection?
A Microsoft 365 admin, one time. After that, any Jira admin (or anyone they give access to) can take it from there.
Does it work with SharePoint lists?
Yes. Microsoft Lists are SharePoint lists under the hood, so they work the same way.
Our list doesn't have parent and child items. Is that a problem?
No. Each item just becomes its own Jira issue, using whatever issue type you pick.
Can this replace our Power Automate flow?
Yes, that's pretty much what it's for. It picks up edits on both sides, and if an item can't sync, it tells you why.
Can it move a list into Jira too?
Yes. The first sync brings the whole list into Jira, and it keeps syncing after that. If you already used Microsoft Lists Import for Jira, Sync picks up where the import left off.
Can I undo a change?
Yes. Any time Shim changes a value, it saves the old one first, so you can undo it. You can also undo the whole 5-item test. Shim never deletes anything, and it won't stomp on a value someone changed since the last sync.
How much does it cost?
It's free if your Jira site has 10 users or fewer. After that, it's $50 a month at 50 users, $100 at 100, $265 at 500 and $340 at 1,000. You pay through the Atlassian Marketplace.
Does it work with Jira Data Center or Server?
No, just Jira Cloud.
Still stuck?
Email [email protected], and include the error code if you have one. You'll hear back within one business day.