Jira reports in Confluence: How to integrate and visualize data
Jira reports in Confluence combine issue data from Jira with the documentation and collaboration layer of Confluence, so teams can track work-in-progress and share status from a single project dashboard. Linking the two Atlassian tools consolidates project documentation and issue tracking in one place, giving leaders visibility from conception to completion.
Atlassian Jira is a project management tool for IT and software teams that tracks issues, tasks, and workflows. Confluence creates, organizes, and shares project documentation and other content as part of collaboration management efforts. Connecting the two creates a shared environment for cross-team transparency.
Here's how to generate Jira reports in Confluence by linking the two platforms and using the features that improve information sharing.
What are Jira reports in Confluence?
Jira reports in Confluence are dashboards that pull live Jira issue data into a Confluence page, letting users create issues, track tasks, and collaborate from one view. Jira ships several out-of-the-box macros that surface data as tables, charts, or graphs. The Jira Issues macro renders issues in a table; the Jira Chart macro produces:
Bar charts
Pie charts
Line charts
Area charts
XY scatter plots
Time series graphs
Gantt charts
Once Jira reporting lives on a Confluence dashboard, tools like Table Filter and Charts for Confluence can operate on the Jira issue table output to:
Filter Jira issues by specific parameters
Aggregate or summarize data with pivot tables
Visualize data using customizable charts and graphs
These functions let you build reports and presentations that address every stakeholder, from project team members to upper management and investors.
How to connect Jira and Confluence
The connection method depends on the platform you run.
On Confluence Cloud, no separate connection is needed. Edit the Confluence page and paste the Jira task or project URL onto the dashboard. Use a JQL query to specify report parameters, then click Save; the page updates with live project data. The Jira Issues macro handles multiple issues at once.
Confluence Server and Data Center users have a heavier process. It requires administrator credentials for both applications, so verify access before attempting to establish the two-way link.
With administrative privileges in place, follow these steps:
1. Open Confluence 1. Click the settings icon in the top right corner of the interface 1. Under "Confluence Administration," select "General Configuration" 1. Select "Application Links" 1. Type the Jira task, issue, or project URL into the text field 1. Click "Create new link" 1. Use the Setup Wizard to configure the linkage
Setup is complete, and you're ready to create Jira reports and charts in Confluence.
How to display Jira issues in Confluence
To view a dynamic list of Jira issues from the Confluence dashboard:
1. From the Confluence page, tap "+," then select "Jira," or open the page to edit and type "/jira" 1. Enter the Jira issue name or search options in the search bar 1. Select the names of existing issues to display, create a new Jira issue, or choose from recently viewed issues. You can also search by issue key, search URL, Jira link, JQL, plain text, or filter. 1. Click "Display options" to customize the output 1. Select "Insert"
Jira's native macros also populate Confluence reports used in status updates and other information-sharing formats.
Jira Issues macro: Posts a single issue, a subset, or a summarized count of Jira issues.
Jira Chart macro: Adds a Jira dashboard gadget listing a table of issue types and their status.
Depending on how you want to manipulate the data, there are several ways to visualize it.
Single issue: Confluence lets you report on a single issue or task within the dashboard.
Total issue count: Generates an overview of project tasks.
Detailed issue table: Jira provides display options to shape the data, such as customizing the number of columns or the count of issues in a table. Tables can hold up to 1,000 issues. Beyond that, create separate tables and merge them with the Table Transformer macro. The combined table's weight may slow page load times.
Pivot table: Summarizes issues or aggregates data against a specific parameter, so users can format and access table data for further visualization.
How to create your first Jira report
To create a Jira report from a Confluence page:
1. Log into Confluence and navigate to the page where you want to embed the Jira report 1. Search for "Jira report" in the template selection area of the page 1. Select the report format to display (Issue Status Reports, Sprint Burndown Charts, Velocity Reports, Time Tracking Reports, Project Overviews, etc.) 1. Identify which Jira project to pull data from 1. Customize the report using filters, fields, and the Jira Charts macro 1. Save the page configuration and publish it
The Jira Charts macro visualizes project or issue data with several chart types, including:
Pie chart: Distributes issue data by type, project assignee, priority, or another parameter.
Created vs. resolved chart: Shows the ratio of created and resolved tasks over a specific period.
Two-dimensional chart: Like a pivot table, aggregates issues against two data sets.
Enhancing Jira reports in Confluence with Tempo
Tempo's Custom Charts for Confluence extends Confluence's native report generation, taking data visualization further.
Custom Charts creates a central hub with real-time updates on key project metrics. Chart macros are fully customizable and pull from a range of fields, including third-party apps, JQL queries, and saved filters. The app works alongside other Tempo products like Timesheets, Structure, and Custom Charts for Jira.
Use pre-built templates, or personalize charts and graphs with custom colors to simplify communication with stakeholders. With Tempo, the choice is yours.
