Tempo logotype

The difference between reports and gadgets in Jira

From Team '23

Tempo Team

There are two main ways of creating reports in Jira. You can go into an individual board, choose a report from what’s available, and Jira will generate it. Or you can create a Jira dashboard, which consists of multiple reports called gadgets. The system dashboard is the main display you see when you log in to Jira and comes loaded with gadgets that can be reordered and added to. You can also create your own custom dashboards covering different projects, teams, and assignments.

We know that some Jira users aren’t clear on the difference between Jira reports and Jira gadgets, or which of the two are better. Let’s walk through it.

What is a Jira report?

A Jira report is a chart, graph, or diagram generated using your Jira data, which you access and configure by going into an individual board and selecting from the options available. There are various reports built into Jira, such as the Sprint Report, Velocity Chart, and Cumulative Flow Diagram.

A Jira report is created and displayed one by one and presents users with a point-in-time view of the data, i.e. the data is fixed at the time you run the report. You’d need to run the report again to update it.

What is a Jira gadget?

A Jira gadget is also a chart, graph, or diagram generated using your Jira data, but which you access and configure directly on a Jira dashboard. Each gadget appears as a window or block on your dashboard screen. As with reports, there are various gadgets built into Jira, such as Two Dimensional Filter Statistics, Sprint Health, and Filter Results.

A Jira dashboard displays multiple gadgets and each one is dynamic rather than a snapshot. In other words it refreshes automatically every time you load the dashboard, or you can configure it to refresh at set intervals, thereby offering users a near-real-time view of their data.

So the difference is…

The main difference between reports and gadgets in Jira is how, where, and when you use them. They’re both reports. Gadgets are just dynamic reports that appear on a dashboard. In fact there are some charts that come in both report and gadget form, such as the Created versus Resolved Chart, Burndown Chart, and Average Age Chart. There are also some charts that are gadget-only and some that are report-only. For example, the Velocity Chart is only a report and the Sprint Health gadget is only a gadget.

Generally project managers will use reports when they want their teams and stakeholders to engage with a specific set of data. For example, they might want to highlight bottlenecks using a Cumulative Flow Diagram to show how long work items are in their various statuses. They’ll also use reports if the report they need isn’t available as a gadget on a dashboard.

Dashboards are capable of displaying multiple charts and graphs at once, in order to give teams and stakeholders a broader picture of what’s going on. For example, you can create a dashboard to cover multiple projects, whereas a report is confined to one project only.

That said, you can use a dashboard for more focused reporting as well. You can, for example, maximize a gadget so that it appears full screen. Or you could, if you wanted to, build a dashboard with only one gadget displayed. It’s entirely possible to use gadgets to get teams to home in on something specific, as you would with a report.

So are Jira dashboards the better way to report?

To be honest, yes. Dashboard gadgets are simply more versatile. You don’t have to go looking for them because they’re all right there in the dashboard, and you don’t need to open them one by one in separate screens. You can display as many or as few gadgets as you want. And they will automatically refresh with new data as often as you want them to.

In addition, you can get Jira dashboard add-ons like Custom Charts for Jira in order to swap out some of the built-in gadgets for more dynamic and customizable versions. See the difference between the built-in Jira Pie Chart gadget and the Custom Charts Pie Chart gadget below. The Custom Charts version lets you customize the colors (you can’t actually have RAG – red, amber, green – coloring in native Jira), as well as add descriptions, percentages, and show an issue total. The built-in one doesn’t.

As Custom Charts for Jira is specifically designed to work on a Jira dashboard, it can only be used to transform your gadgets, not your reports. Another reason why you should maximise your use of Jira dashboards and gadgets and only use reports when you have to.

To be honest, we think the best use of Jira reports is when a gadget version isn’t available. For example, you can’t stick a Velocity Chart or a Cumulative Flow Diagram on a dashboard, and there will be times when your teams need to view those reports. Our hope is that Atlassian will keep doubling up the reports so they come in report and gadget form. Or better yet, ditch the reports framework entirely and just focus on dashboards.

Sign up for a demo

Register

Explore More Content

Get the data you need to succeed

Time Tracker

Extend your Jira with prebuilt and highly configurable reports for straightforward time tracking.

Learn more

AI-enabled capacity visualization

Capacity Insights - Open Beta

Deliver visibility into how your team's time and efforts align with business objectives and project ROI - without the manual effort

Learn more

Real-time collaboration and capacity planning in Jira

Capacity Planner

A powerful team resource management tool designed to optimize capacity planning and project management in Jira

Learn more

Roadmapping software for teams of all sizes

Strategic Roadmaps (Roadmunk)

The roadmapping tool designed for high-performing teams delivering boardroom-ready strategic roadmaps.

Learn more

No-code BigQuery Jira integration

BigQuery Connector for Jira

Integrate Jira with Google BigQuery to seamlessly export and sync data for advanced analytics and customized reporting

Learn more

Never lose track of a brilliant idea again

Idea Manager for Strategic Roadmaps

Never lose a brilliant idea again. Idea Manager for Strategic Roadmaps has built-in best practices to help.

Learn more

Strategic Portfolio Management

Strategic Portfolio Management

Modern modular PPM solutions that scale with your business. Align your teams with the integrated platform that bridges the gap between strategy and execution.

Learn more

Project and program management for Jira

Structure PPM

Visualize all your Jira data & manage portfolios of projects in real-time.

Learn more

Monitor financial health at every level

Financial Manager for Timesheets

Monitor projects and portfolios to get simple, clear, and real-time views of your costs, budgets, and profits that can be shared throughout your entire organization.

Learn more

Jira Team & Resource Management

Capacity Planner

#1 Jira Resource Management App: Optimize team allocation, skillset utilization, capacity planning & project management

Go to marketplace

Powered by Structure’s custom hierarchies, visualize your roadmap, project plans, timeline & dependencies within Jira Gantt charts

Go to marketplace

Jira ITSM Solutions with Tempo

ITSM

Build and scale a custom ITSM solution at your own pace with Tempo's modular suite of integrated tools. Enhance Jira's capabilities and take control of your entire IT portfolio.

Learn more

For planning leaders looking to add a big-picture roadmap view to their structured Jira data, this integration is essential. Improve visibility to leadership, reduce reporting admin, and keep your team aligned.

Learn more

Align your organization with proactive portfolio management

Portfolio Manager (LiquidPlanner)

Predictive scheduling and the ability to forecast project timelines and spot risks so you can meet deadlines with confidence.

Learn more

Industry-leading project plan and roadmap visualizations with a Gantt chart extension

Gantt Charts for Structure PPM

Visualize project plans and roadmaps with a Gantt chart extension for Jira

Learn more

Unified time and team management

Integration: Timesheets and Capacity Planner

Seamlessly manage project timelines and resources while accurately tracking time spent on tasks. This integration enhances visibility, improves planning accuracy, and supports data-driven decision-making for better overall project outcomes.

Learn more

Jira Time Tracking

Timesheets by Tempo

#1 Jira Time Tracking & AI Apps: Log Tempo Timesheets for Planning, Project Management & Billing. Plugin Office365, Google & Slack

Go to marketplace

Centralize real-time plans in one view

Integration: Structure and Gantt Charts

Gain a more complete project management solution, simplifying project reporting, improving collaboration, and ensuring projects stay on time and within budget.

Learn more

Take control of your projects

Integration: Portfolio Manager and Jira

Portfolio Manager integrates seamlessly with Jira to give you predictive scheduling, real-time scenario modeling, and advanced resource management – ensuring you stay on track, no matter what challenges arise.

Learn more

No more reporting limitations

Custom Charts for Confluence

Create and share all kinds of highly visual and customizable charts directly on your Confluence pages.

Learn more
Colleagues interacting around a desk

No-Code Power BI Jira Integration

Power BI Connector for Jira

Effortlessly bridge Jira with your preferred BI tool, unlocking unparalleled insights and enhancing decision-making

Learn more

Agile at Scale Software

Agile at Scale

Adapt to changing business needs, rapidly adjust plans, and reallocate investment.

Learn more

Jira Portfolio Management PPM

Structure by Tempo

Jira Project Portfolio Management (PPM): Visualize data and manage projects within spreadsheet-like tables — in less than a minute

Go to marketplace

Unified time and team management

Integration: Timesheets and Structure

Combining Tempo Timesheets and Structure PPM provides a unified view of time tracking and project progress, enabling more accurate reporting and effective portfolio management. Simplify workflows, enhance collaboration, and ensure projects stay on time and within budget.

Learn more

Jira Project Cost Tracking

Financial Manager

Project financial management for Jira & Timesheets. Monitor project costs, expenses, revenue, billing & budgets. Track Capex/Opex

Go to marketplace

Time Tracking Software for Jira

Timesheets

Tempo’s intuitive automation and Jira-native design make it the most trusted time tracking tool for enterprise organization.

Learn more

Custom charts and dashboards for Jira

Custom Charts for Jira

See how work is progressing and where blockers are with the most flexible reporting app in Jira.

Learn more

No-code Tableau Jira integration

Tableau Connector for Jira

Effortlessly bridge Jira with Tableau, unlocking unparalleled insights and enhancing decision-making

Learn more