Managing Jira Requests, Tasks and Assessments

Overview

Functionalities of using Jira to manage ZenGRC audits, tasks and requests include the following:

• An audit can be connected to any Jira project within the connected Jira instance.
• The audit and imported requests are automatically created in Jira and linked together.
• All audit and request updates are transferred in real time between Jira and ZenGRC.
• ZenGRC tasks can be linked to any Jira issue.
• Assignees to a request do not need to exist in ZenGRC. As long as they are Jira users, they can be assigned to a request.
• Requests can be mapped to controls during audit setup.
• Under the Operational Effectiveness tab, assessments display linked, related requests. This connection allows you to review Jira requests and evidence while conducting assessments directly in ZenGRC 
  
  

Accessing Jira from an Audit

The majority of information for a Jira audit can be directly accessed and updated within ZenGRC. However, there may be times when you want to open Jira.

The quickest way to open an audit in Jira is directly from the Audits page prior to accessing the individual audit. To do this, complete the following steps:

1. Click Audits in the left-hand navigation.
2. Scroll to desired audit.
3. Click Managed in Jira.
   
   
   
   

If the individual audit summary page is already open from the Audits home page, access Jira by completing the following:

1. Click Actions | Open in Jira.
   
   

To open Jira and export information, complete the following:

1. Click Actions | Export from Jira.
   
   

Working with Requests

Once requests are imported into a Jira-connected audit in ZenGRC, they are simultaneously created in Jira.

Syncing Jira Information

The automatic syncing of request information between Jira and ZenGRC occurs every hour. However, it can be immediately refreshed

To sync information on the Request (in Jira) tab in the Audits module, complete the following:

1. Click Click here to sync data.
   
   
   
   OR
   
   
2. Click Actions | Sync External Requests to sync data.
   
   

Opening a Jira Request in ZenGRC

Requests in a Jira audit are not editable in ZenGRC. All editing and updating occur in Jira.

To open a Jira request within ZenGRC, complete the following steps:

1. Click Audits and open the desired Jira audit.
2. Click Requests (in JIRA).
3. Find the request and click its Title. This opens the request within ZenGRC. To then open it within Jira Software, see the next documentation section.
   
   

Opening a Jira Request in Jira

Those who have the appropriate permissions can open requests in Jira directly from ZenGRC, which then allows for editing.

From the Audits module, complete the following steps:

1. Open the Audits summary page by following the instructions under Accessing the Audit Summary Page.
2. Click the Requests (in Jira) tab.
3. Click the cog wheel in the right corner to show heading options to display.
4. Select Object URL.
   
   
   
   
5. Click Apply. The view refreshes with the new heading containing links into Jira Software.

Another way to access the request in Jira is directly from the request details page. After opening the request in ZenGRC, you can open Jira by completing the following:

1. On the Details tab, click the linked text in the Object URL field.
   
   
   
   
2. Additionally, there are links into Jira under the Attachments and Comments tabs.

Working with Comments across ZenGRC and Jira

• To view comments in ZenGRC that were submitted from Jira, click the Comments tab. The Jira connector for ZenGRC supports bi-directional comment sync, allowing ZenGRC users to respond to clarification requests, request additional evidence attachments, etc. 

Working with attachments in Jira

If you are using GoogleDrive for file storage, and are managing an audit in Jira when an evidence attachment is uploaded to Jira, where is the attachment saved?

• Jira attachments will not be available in external storage, like Google drive. A link to the attachment is created within ZenGRC and the attachment itself lives in Jira. 

When JIRA is used to manage the audit and has evidence submitted, it updates ZenGRC with a URL link to be able to access the attachment. Still, it does not physically save the attachment in the external storage, like GoogleDrive. Only ZenGRC will save the actual attachment to the storage location.

Download All Attachments from Jira-Managed Requests

You can easily download all attachments for all (or for multiple selected) requests within an audit. To download attachments from multiple Jira-managed requests, complete the following:

1. From the left-hand navigation, click Audits, then select your Jira-managed audit from the drop-down.
2. Click the Requests (managed in Jira) tab
3. The Download attachments button provides two options. "Download all" will download all attachments for all of the requests included in the Audit. Alternatively, you can select specific requests using the checkboxes, and then the "Download selected" option will download attachments only the selected requests:
   
4. The resulting download is a .zip file that has includes separate folders for each of the included requests, where each folder's name corresponds to the Title of each request. Within each folder, you'll find all of the attachments associated with that request.
   

Working with Tasks and Jira Software

There are several ways to tie ZenGRC tasks to items in Jira.
 

Linking a New Task to a Jira Item

After creating a ZenGRC task, you can easily save it and link it to a Jira issue. .

To create a task and link it to an existing Jira item, complete the following steps:

1. Create a new task.
2. After completing the necessary fields click Save & Add a Jira Issue.
   
   
   
   
3. The Link to Jira page displays with options to search or create a new Jira issue. See the applicable documentation section on this page.

Linking an Existing Task to an Existing Jira Item

To connect a task to an existing Jira item, complete the following steps:

1. Create or open a task.
2. Click the ellipses in the top right (if your browser is maximized, an Actions button replaces the ellipses) and select Link to Jira.
   
   
   
   
3. The Link to Jira page displays with options to search or create a new Jira issue. See the applicable documentation section on this page.

Searching for a Jira Item

On the Link to Jira page, conduct a search by completing the following steps:

1. In the dialog box, enter a search term and click Search.
   
   

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   The Search box does not auto populate, so you will need to know a word in the Jira Key or Summary fields in order to search for your issue.

   
   
   
   

2. Select an option from the results.
   
   
   
   

3. Click Save. The page refreshes to display information from the Jira issue.
   
   
   
   

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   The Jira fields can only be edited in Jira.

Creating a New Jira Item from an Existing Task

To create a new Jira item and connect it to a task, complete the following steps:

1. Open the task.
2. Click the ellipses in the top right (an Actions button replaces the ellipses if your browser is maximized) and select Link to Jira.
3. In the displayed dialog box, click Create new Jira issue.
   
   
   
   

4. In the Project dropdown, select an option.
   
   

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   The Project dropdown displays projects in the connected Jira instance. This then populates the Issue dropdown with selections from the chosen Jira project.

   
   
   
   

5. Select an option in the Issue dropdown and click Create new. Alternatively, click Back to cancel and return to the prior page.
   
   
   
   

6. A new dialog box displays with fields to complete that are dependent on the selected Jira project setup (including any custom fields that have been added to the Jira project). 
   
   

Editing a Jira Issue Linked to a ZenGRC Task

To access a Jira issue from a ZenGRC task, complete the following steps:

1. Open the task.
2. Click the link under Jira issue key.
   
   
   
   
3. To edit the fields within ZenGRC, click Edit.
4. To open the item in Jira, click Open in Jira.

Unlinking or Replacing a Linked Item

Only one Jira item can be linked within a task.

To remove the link between a task and a Jira item, complete the following steps:

1. Open the task.
2. Click the ellipses in the top right (an Actions button replaces the ellipses if your browser is maximized) and select Unlink Jira issue.
   
   
   
   
3. In the dialog box, click Unlink. Alternatively, click Cancel to close without changes.
   
   
   
   

To replace the link between a task and a Jira item with a different Jira item, complete the following steps:

1. Open the task.
2. Click the ellipses in the top right (an Actions button replaces the ellipses if your browser is maximized) and select Replace Jira issue.
3. The dialog box displays allowing you to search or create a new Jira issue.

Working with Assessments

This version allows for visibility into the connected Jira audit items so assessments are easier to complete. Audit requests are completed by assignees within Jira, while those in charge of assessments can work in ZenGRC and open Jira only when necessary.

Viewing Related Requests

To review requests, open an assessment and complete the following steps:

1. Click the Operational Effectiveness tab.
2. Open a request.