10 Jira apps that every project manager should know
Have you ever tried looking after several cats at the same time? Each has its own head, ideas, priorities and paths that are anything but straightforward and usually incomprehensible to us; chaos is inevitable. Exactly the same thing happens when a loose conglomerate of tools such as Excel, Outlook, the Google calendar and a few free open source outgrowths are elevated to the status of official “core software” or euphemistically “project management system”.
Anyone who thinks that core software could never cover all requirements is wrong. With over 3,000 Jira apps, Atlassian is beyond reproach and provides its users with an almost infinite selection of useful tools, practical helpers and individual application options.
Whether it’s time management, automation or better communication – with the right Jira plugins, you can leave the cat’s meow behind and become a tamer for lion projects. That’s why we present 10 Jira apps that you should definitely know about.
Jira App: Timesheets by Tempo - Jira Time Tracking
The guarantor for precise time control
Have you ever wondered why a project has suddenly doubled in budget without any change in output? The reason is often inadequate time tracking. With the Jira app Timesheets by Tempo, teams can record, analyze and accurately bill their working hours in detail. This gives project managers back control and allows them to take appropriate measures to keep projects on track.
Application example:
Your team spends hours in insightful meetings and rushes through several tasks at the same time, but still seems to work inefficiently. Unfortunately, nobody knows exactly how much time is really being used productively and which time wasters are not adding any real value. The Pareto principle can only be applied if teams know which tasks belong to the 80% and which to the 20%.
"Timesheets by Tempo shows which tasks are the biggest time wasters and helps you to plan more efficiently. "
Jira App: Jira Workflow Toolbox
Workflows on steroids
“What was the next step again?”, many teams ask themselves when workflows become too complex. Now the search for the right methodology begins, somewhere in a memo as a comment in a Word file, hidden in an email that fluttered in with a meaningless subject line just before the end of the working day. With the Jira Workflow Toolbox, you can customize your workflows so that no one has to grope in the dark and search.
Application example:
An approval process drags on endlessly because important information is missing or can no longer be found. This costs time and jeopardizes the success of the project – especially in critical phases where quick decisions and good progress are extremely important. At the same time, the long process saps employee motivation, as everything could be so simple and already done three times over.
"The Jira App Workflow Toolbox makes it possible to define automations and dependencies so clearly and unambiguously that no approval is left hanging. "
Jira App: Automation for Jira
"Anything that happens more than twice should be automated!"
Manual tasks cost time and nerves, especially the unnecessary ones. Jira App Automation for Jira makes it possible to automate recurring processes such as notifications or status updates. Team members and project managers can concentrate on the essentials and use the resources freed up for more complex tasks.
Example of use:
“That was already done a week ago, wasn’t it?” So you search through emails and old chats, only to find nothing. Then call the colleague again to ask what’s going on. “Oh that, yes, it was finished a long time ago!”
Automation for Jira makes it possible, for example, to send automatic reminders to your team according to defined rules if the task status has not been set to “completed”.
Jira App: ScriptRunner
For power users who want more
Sometimes a simple click is not enough. ScriptRunner allows developers to create custom scripts to extend Jira as they see fit. This Jira app offers flexible solutions for individual challenges and is one of the reasons why Jira is considered one of the most agile and customizable project management tools.
Application example:
Until now, all tickets have ended up in a hodgepodge of tasks that have to be laboriously sifted through and distributed individually. It is actually clear that tickets with the words “computer”, “WLAN” or “server” are more likely to be addressed to IT than to the janitor.
With Scriptrunner, you can create scripts that search tasks for specific keywords and forward them directly to the relevant team.

Jira App: JXL
Spreadsheet calculation directly in Jira
Jira is an integral part of your company, but your employees love Excel so much that without this nostalgic tool from the Office suite, warning strikes are imminent? Make a compromise: JXL brings Excel-like functionality directly into your Jira environment and makes it easier to manage tasks without having to switch back and forth between programs.
Application example:
Old project plans date back to a time before Jira and were laboriously created using Excel. External employees or partners send Excel files that you want to use for your work. Or one colleague “has always done it this way” and vehemently refuses to use more modern solutions.
With the Jira App JXL, you can integrate and edit Excel files directly in Jira. This means no duplicate work, no tedious copying and less risk of errors when transferring individual cells.
Jira App: Issue Templates for Jira
Consistency made easy
A Jira app that ensures greater efficiency and clear structures with standardized templates. Every team member knows exactly what information is needed and when. The result: fewer emails, fewer queries and much smoother collaboration to achieve the goal faster.
Application example:
Your team starts a new project. Each time, the same requirements such as “project objective”, “required resources” and “deadline” have to be written manually in a new ticket. Not only does this take time, but there is also a risk of overlooking important details.
"With Issue Templates for Jira, you create a one-off template with all the standard fields you need. For the next project, the team simply clicks on "Use template" - and the template is complete. "
Jira App: SAML Single Sign On
Easy access, but secure
Forget password problems. With the Jira App SAML Single Sign On, you can integrate single sign-on functions into Jira that make access secure and user-friendly.
Application example:
“Ukdgz$zg!152gf” is easy to remember, isn’t it? Especially if this password changes every week and you need a different one for every application. So reset the password, hope that someone in IT has time for it or wait for the long-awaited email, which in turn involves complicated 2-factor authentication that is not available at the moment due to server maintenance.
Instead of bothering IT with password reset tickets or wasting valuable time yourself, you can use the Jira App SAML Single Sign On to securely authenticate for multiple applications and services simultaneously.
Jira App: EMail This Issue
Communication without detours
The Jira app Email This Issue adds a powerful feature to Jira that seamlessly connects email and ticketing. With this app, you can send emails directly from Jira, reply to incoming messages and even create tickets from received emails. This saves valuable time and ensures that no important information is lost.
Application example:
Imagine a customer sends an inquiry by email. It is forwarded to the wrong employee or gets lost in the inbox. With Email This Issue, the email is automatically converted into a Jira ticket, complete with all attachments and relevant information. Your team can reply to it directly or continue working on it without having to switch between tools.
The advantages are clear: more efficient communication, less loss of context and centralized management of all requests in Jira. This means you always have an overview, even with a flood of emails.
Jira App: Power BI Connector
Efficient data analysis
The Power BI Connector for Jira allows you to seamlessly connect your Jira data with Microsoft Power BI. This integration makes it easier to make data-based decisions by transforming Jira data into interactive dashboards and reports. This allows you to keep track of all key metrics, whether it’s project progress, team performance or resource utilization.
Application example:
You want to monitor the progress of several projects at the same time. Manually, this means laboriously exporting data and creating tables. With the Jira App Power BI Connector for Jira, you can now import all data directly from Jira and display it visually in Power BI. Interactive dashboards show you, among other things, the number of open tickets per team or the average processing time – all in real time.
Thanks to this Jira app, you not only save time, but also gain deeper insights into your projects. This allows you to make informed decisions and identify bottlenecks at an early stage.
Jira App: Checklists for Jira (Pro) by HeroCoders

Checklists help to ensure that nothing is overlooked. This Jira app integrates to-do lists into Jira and ensures that every step is completed.
The right Jira app makes all the difference
With over 3,000 Jira apps in the Jira Marketplace, even experienced users can quickly lose track. Each app has its strengths, but not every one fits the needs of your company. That’s why it’s crucial to develop a strategy that only integrates the useful Jira apps that will really help your team move forward.
Polygran helps you to analyze your requirements, select the right Jira plugins and integrate them optimally into your processes. Rely on our expertise to get the best out of your Jira system.
Clear the ring!
We will show you how to make the most stubborn project lion jump through the burning hoop and lead your projects to success with the right Jira apps. Contact us now and we will evaluate which Jira apps are right for you.
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