Jira is not a perfect piece of software. In fact, we’d go as far as saying there’s no perfect software that exists. At least at their most basic levels they’re not. We’ve found 3 problems with Jira that can be solved with the help of a handy plugin. Read more and see how JExcel can help you tackle your Jira problems.
Thinking there’s a software that can do anything and everything is a far cry from reality. The fact of the matter is, they just don’t exist. And that’s okay. That said, there certainly are better and more popular software out there that people have stood by despite their shortcomings. If you haven’t guess where this is going yet, we’re talking about Jira.
Jira has been a mixed bag, but with a strong following nonetheless. Major companies and small businesses alike have continued to use the software as it’s evolved from a bug tracker to a full blown project management tool. Lots of companies have expanded their products and capabilities, but Atlassian has been truly successful in creating and developing a software that’s here to stay.
Why have people stuck with Jira? Because the software is flexible, adaptable, and customizable. Plus it’s so ubiquitous nowadays that many developers are currently using or have used it before. Its regular appearance also gives it a sense of legitimacy and positive reputation.
Jira’s Problems
Unfortunately, Jira isn’t perfect and there are certainly problems and complaints people have with the software. One of the biggest criticisms that Jira has faced is its complicated interface. It’s complicated for a reason, to allow you to do everything you need to do in the software. Despite this ability, newbies tend to have a tough time adjusting to using Jira. Once they get a handle of it, using Jira becomes a breeze, especially if best practices are used.
Another complaint Jira consistently faces is its limited exporting function. Since the release of version 7.2.X, Jira no longer provides an easy export button to Excel. A Microsoft Office security update made settings incompatible with Jira and prevents certain users from open the exports. This is truly an irritating change for anyone who was use to the previous function. As one of the, if not the most commonly used spreadsheet programs out there, it’s a shame to not have an export function to Excel already integrated. Additionally, you can’t export more than 1000 issues in Jira by default and you also can’t export images, attachments, and comments in Jira. Yikes.
A third problem with Jira is its limited project creation capabilities. In Jira only admins can create projects, which is a bit old school. Relaying on admins to create projects is inefficient and can slow workflow down. No one likes wasting time, especially for projects that might not need the guidance of an admin.
So, what can we do to remedy these problems with Jira and the fact that there’s isn’t one tool for everything? By utilizing and incorporating plugins. This is the closet solution we have in creating the perfect software for specific teams. Just like how they say there’s an app for everything nowadays? Well, there’s a plugin for almost everything software related too. Insofar as those three problems with Jira, there’s one particular plugin we have in mind that can assist in solving them and that’s JExcel PRO.
JExcel and Its Problem Solving Capabilities
At its core JExcel is a program that makes Jira more familiar to business users who already know how to use Excel. It addresses complaints about Jira’s user experience by providing an easy to use interface that is similar to Excel. It also allows for bulk editing, meaning you can edit more issues at a time, Excel-like editing with copy-paste functions, Excel-like sorting and filtering, and calculations. If you know how to use Excel, then you’ll know how to use JExcel too.
As one of the biggest complaints, JExcel fixes Jira’s export to Excel problem by serving as an easy alternative and replacement for Jira’s long missed export button. Exporting to Excel is an important thing to be able to do. Exporting issues from Jira to Excel lets you share information with external users, collaborators, and customers. It displays and analyzes data into a spreadsheet format. And it can also serve as a back-up of your data. You never know what could happen.
Fix Jira’s limited project creation capabilities with JExcel’s function that enables non-admin users to create projects on their own. In JExcel Jira admins can appoint user groups to create projects based on an already existing project. To be a little more specific, in JExcel, admins can select an existing project for a new project based on its configuration. This means less configuration and less waiting time for projects to be created. Optimize your team’s efforts by allowing more access and delegate tasks instead of keeping one or a few people responsible for things.
JExcel: LITE vs PRO
If we haven’t sold you on JExcel enough, check out JExcel’s features. The plugin comes in two different versions, LITE and PRO to meet your teams needs and expectations.
JExcel LITE includes:
- Excel-like UI with in place editing and issue creation
- Excel-like filtering and sorting
- Copy/paste issues and values internally and to/from MS Excel
- Rename, resize, and freeze columns
- Hide and unhide columns
- Tab coloring for easy identification
- Flag rows in different colors like in MS Outlook
- Columns that display the number of comments and attachments for an issue
- Workbooks that are private, shared, or public
- Data bars just like in MS Excel
- Aggregation rows for columns
JExcel PRO includes all functions of LITE with a bit more power:
- Create projects and workbooks with ease
- Export issues to MSExcel/HTML with comments, images, and attachments
- Import issues from MS Excel
- Calculated columns
- Fast filter for columns
- See the history of a particular cell
- Collaboration
- Priority support
Customizing Jira with plugins allows you to create the software you need. Whether it’s to make the software more accessible to your team or to translate information for your stakeholders, having a strong plugin with a variety of features can optimize workflow and provide another level of transparency. Fix Jira’s problems with a plugin and start with JExcel to see how much more can be done.