Create Backlog Items

This workflow template gives Slack channel members the ability to create new issues for a Jira project backlog directly from Slack.

Download the Template

Click here to download the Create Backlog Items template file.

Importing a Template to Your Slack Workspace

The following steps describe how to import the template from your computer into Workflow Builder.

1. In Slack, click the workspace drop-down menu in the upper-left corner, and select Tools > Workflow Builder.
   
   Workflow Builder opens in a new dialog. 
   
   
2. Click the Legacy workflows tab, then click Import. 
   
   
   
3. Navigate to and select the workflow template on your local machine, then click Open.
   You are prompted to edit the workflow's name.
   
   
4. Click Next.
   A success message appears, and the template is imported to the Your Workflows tab.
   
   

5. Click Got It to close the message.
   The imported workflow and its steps appear, ready for you to review and customize the steps.

Customizing the 'Create Backlog Items' Template

After you download and import the template, fine-tune the workflow by evaluating and making adjustments to each step. You'll likely need to make some changes to perfect the workflow to meet your specific needs.

1. With the template imported, open the workflow so all the steps are visible.
   
   

2. Click Edit next to each template step to review and update the contents. 
   
   Here's a summary of each step in the workflow as well as details you may want to customize:
   
   Shortcut Workflow Trigger
   
   This template uses Slack's shortcut trigger to initiate the workflow.
   
   Select the channel in which you want the workflow to exist, then give the workflow a name. This name is what workflow users will see when they trigger the workflow with a shortcut. You can return to this step at any time to revise the name.
   
   Create a Jira Issue
   

   Edit this step to select the desired Jira instance and project, plus the Jira issue type that's to be created in the Slack channel.
   
   
   - Scroll and select Yes when asked about prompting users for Jira fields. 
   
   - For Slack user to prompt, select Person who clicked "Add ticket to backlog".
   
   - A default message to the prompted user is already part of the template, but customize the message to your liking.
   
   - Select each of the fields you want to require the prompted user to fill out. The available fields may vary depending on your Jira permissions. Unselected fields may be left blank by the prompted user, or you can create default values that the prompted user can edit. 
   
   

   Messages from the app

   Workflow Steps for Jira can't send the prompt directly to the Slack channel, so the notifications appear as DMs from the app in Slack's Apps section.
   

   The template includes a label, created-from-slack, to help differentiate and make filterable backlog items created via the workflow. 
   
   
   Send a Message
   
   This step produces a summary of each new backlog item created via the workflow. It's sort of like a receipt that appears in the channel where the workflow was triggered, and it gives instant feedback to the issue creator, as well as the other channel members.
   
   - Review the default message, and customize it to best fit your workflow needs.
   

3. When you're finished fine-tuning the template, click Publish (or Publish Changes) at the top-right of the dialog.
   
   
4. Test the workflow in Slack!
   It's always best to test the workflow before introducing it to your coworkers. Ensure that the steps are pulling the right info from Jira and working as you'd expect them to.