Power BI and Jira: The Ultimate Guide to Data Integration

As a data analyst (or business analyst), you may have come across Power BI and Jira. Power BI is a data visualization platform where interactive charts, reports, and dashboards can be created using multiple data sources. Jira, on the other hand, is one of the best project management solutions out there.

If your team uses both Power BI and Jira, it probably means that you understand the role data reporting plays in business expansion. In this guide, you’ll discover why you should connect Jira to Power BI, easy ways to export and visualize Jira data to Power BI, and more.

Table of Contents:

1. What is the Power BI Connector for Jira?
2. Why Do We Connect Jira to Power BI?
3. How Do You Connect Jira and Power BI?
4. How to Visualize Jira Data to Power BI?
5. What is the Best Practice for the Power BI Jira Connector?
6. Wrap Up

First…

What is the Power BI Connector for Jira?

Power BI Connector for Jira integrates Microsoft Power BI with Jira, and that helps users analyze and visualize Jira data within the Power BI platform. It gives room for the seamless extraction of data from Jira and also facilitates the creation of custom dashboards and reports that monitor multiple project metrics like team performance and issue tracking.

The connector supports automated data refreshes that keep reports up-to-date. It also leverages Power BI’s advanced data analytics for in-depth data analysis. The tool is easy to use, and the setup and configuration processes are simplified. All these make it a good fit for users without extensive technical knowledge.

Why Do We Connect Jira to Power BI?

Here are the major benefits of connecting Jira to Power BI.

• Comprehensive Reporting: The integration of Jira with Power BI gives room for customized and detailed reports. It helps your team visualize project progress, monitor performance metrics, and track issues more insightfully. It does a better job than Jira’s built-in reporting tools.
• Data Consolidation: Power BI can combine data from multiple sources. Organizations that integrate Jira data with other business data (like HR, CRM, and financials) will gain a holistic view of their operations and will be able to figure out correlations and insights that might be missed when the data is siloed.
• Advanced Analytics: Power BI comes with advanced analytical capabilities like predictive analytics, complex data modeling, and AI-driven insights that can be applied to Jira data. It helps teams to forecast potential issues, identify trends, and optimize project workflows.
• Interactive Dashboards: Power BI is built with interactive dashboards that help users drill down into data and dynamically filter information. It also helps the users explore various aspects of their projects. The interactive dashboard helps users to make data-driven decisions, and also get more hold over their projects.
• Automated Data Refresh: The automated data refresh feature ascertains that the Power BI dashboards and reports reflect the most current data from Jira. It ensures real-time project status and eliminates the need for manual data updates.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Sharing Power BI reports and dashboards with stakeholders facilitates better communication and promotes transparency across the organization and within teams. This way, everyone will be informed about the project’s challenges and progress.

How Do You Connect Jira and Power BI?

Here’s a 3-step walkthrough to help you connect Jira and Power BI.

1. Navigate to the Atlassian Marketplace. After that, download and install Appfire’s Power BI Jira Connector.

2. Create a unique connector URL within the Jira instance to automate the flow of data into Power BI.

• • Copy the connector URL from Jira to Power BI Jira Connector. You’ll find that in the “My Connector URLs” tab.

3. Open Power BI and click on OData feed to add the unique URL to import Jira data into Power BI.

• • The Power BI Jira Connector will use the OData protocol to import the Jira data. After setting up the Power BI Jira Connector, you’ll be able to access the imported fields and start updating and creating reports.
  • Teams and stakeholders can review the Jira issue data that are available in Power BI.

How to Visualize Jira Data to Power BI?

Stage 1: Logging in to Power BI

• Log in to Power BI.
• Enter your email address and click the “Submit” button.

• You are redirected to your Microsoft account.
• Enter your password and click “Sign in“.

• You can choose whether to stay signed in.

• Once done, the Power BI home screen will open.

Stage 2: Creating a Data Set and Selecting the Data Set to Use in Your Chart

• Go to the left-side menu and click the “Create” button.
• Select “Paste or manually enter data“.

• We’ll use the sample data below for this example.

Phases	Tasks	Status	Assigned To	% Complete
Phase 1	Task 1	Completed	Terry	100
Phase 1	Task 2	Completed	Bruk	100
Phase 1	Task 3	Completed	Terry	100
Phase 2	Task 4	Pending Review	Peter	100
Phase 2	Task 5	In Progress	Harry	90
Phase 3	Task 6	On Hold	Peter	25
Phase 3	Task 7	Approved	Terry	5
Phase 3	Task 8	In Progress	Peter	10
Phase 3	Task 9	Completed	Bruk	100
Phase 3	Task 10	Delayed	Harry	15

• Paste the data table above into the “Power Query” window. Next, choose the “Create a semantic model only” option.

• Navigate to the left-side menu, and click “Data Hub.” Power BI will populate the data set list. But if no data set has been created, you’ll get an error message. Next, click “Create report.”

• Click “Get more visuals.”

• Search ChartExpo and select “Sankey Chart.”

• Click “Add.”

• You’ll see the Sankey Chart in the visuals list.

• Navigate to visuals, and click on the License Settings. After that, add the key.

• After adding the key, you’ll see the Sankey Chart.

• Here’s how to add the header text at the top of the chart.

• There’s the option to change the Level 1 Stats.

• You can change the Level 2 Stats.

• You can change the Level 3 Stats.

• You can change the Level 4 Stats.

• Here’s how to change the percentage sign with values.

• There’s the option of adding the color of level three nodes.

• Here’s the final image of the Sankey Chart.

Insights

From the chart, you’ll see the three phases of tasks with varied statuses. Phase 1 has been fully completed. Phase 2 has tasks either pending review or in progress. Phase 3 has a mix of statuses that includes approved, on hold, delayed, in progress, and the completed one.

What is the Best Practice for the Power BI Jira Connector?

Here are some best practices you should keep in mind when using the Power BI Jira connector.

• Understand Your Data Needs

You need to identify the key metrics and KPIs needed. You also have to define the scope of data to be extracted from Jira. That could be projects, custom fields, or issues.

• Data Preparation and Cleaning

The data has to be clean and well-organized before you can integrate it with Power BI. You should use Jira’s filters and queries to extract necessary data. This will help reduce unnecessary data load.

• Security and Permissions

The data access permissions in Jira have to be properly configured and aligned with Power BI. Use secure credentials and always follow the data security policies of your organization. This will help protect sensitive information.

• Efficient Data Modeling

You have to come up with a robust data model in Power BI that can accommodate the structure of the Jira data. Take advantage of Power BI’s data modeling capabilities to create relationships, measures, and calculated columns.

• Scheduled Data Refreshes

If you want to keep your dashboards and reports up-to-date, you’ll have to set up automated data refresh schedules. The refresh frequency has to align with your reporting needs, and the data update frequency in Jira.

• Performance Optimization

Aggregations, data compression, and other Power BI performance optimization features can be used to enhance report performance. Always filter and limit the amount of data imported to Power BI to avoid performance bottlenecks.

FAQs

What is the difference between Power BI and Jira?

Power BI is a business intelligence and data visualization tool, while Jira is a project management and issue-tracking software. Jira manages tasks and projects, while Power BI analyzes data.

How to extract data from Jira to Power BI?

To extract data from Jira to Power BI, you’ll have to use the Power BI Connector for Jira to configure data sources. You’ll also need to set up queries and import Jira data directly into the Power BI for analysis.

Is the Power BI connector for Jira free?

No, the Power BI connector for Jira is not free. It requires a subscription or purchase.

Wrap Up

The Power BI Connector for Jira performs advanced analysis and reporting by integrating data into Power BI. Connecting Power BI and Jira gives room for comprehensive performance tracking, project insights, and interactive, up-to-date dashboards.

To get the most out of the Power BI and Jira connection, you’ll have to regularly monitor the usage and performance of the Power BI reports. You also have to maintain and update your Power BI reports and models as your Jira reporting and data needs evolve.

Furthermore, you’ll have to document the key metrics, data model, and data extraction process for future reference. Always offer training to users on how to interact and interpret the Power BI dashboards and reports.

By connecting Jira to Power BI, it becomes easy to track team productivity and performance. It also helps you optimize resource allocation and identify areas for improvement.