Integrate Jira Tempo with Your Capacity Planning Tool: Complete Tutorial

Why Integrate Jira Tempo with Your Capacity Planning?

Jira Tempo is one of the most used timesheet tools by IT teams worldwide. Its integration with your capacity planning tool is no longer an option but a necessity for effective and accurate IT capacity management.

According to a recent study, 68% of IT Directors use Jira as their main project management tool, and 45% use Jira Tempo for time tracking. Without integration, this data remains isolated and doesn't contribute to optimizing your capacity planning.

Integration Benefits

Jira Tempo integration with your capacity planning tool brings measurable benefits:

• Automatic synchronization of actual time data: No more manual entry, data is synchronized automatically
• Error elimination: 90% reduction in entry errors and inconsistencies
• Unified view: Complete view of planned capacity and actual time consumed
• Planned vs actual comparison: Analyze gaps to continuously improve your forecasts
• Time savings: 5-10 hours saved per week on manual entry
• Increased accuracy: Always up-to-date data for informed decisions

Detailed Integration Steps

Here's a step-by-step guide to integrate Jira Tempo with your capacity planning tool:

Step 1: Create an API Key in Jira

The first step is to create an API key in your Jira instance to authorize access to Tempo data.

1. Log in to your Jira instance as administrator
2. Go to Settings → Applications → API Tokens
3. Click "Create API token"
4. Give a descriptive name (e.g., "Workload Integration")
5. Copy the generated token (you won't be able to see it again)
6. Ensure the user associated with the token has necessary rights on Tempo

Step 2: Configure Connection in Workload

In Workload, access integration settings and configure the connection with Jira:

1. Go to Settings → Integrations → Timesheet
2. Select "Jira Tempo"
3. Enter your Jira instance URL (e.g., https://your-company.atlassian.net)
4. Enter your Jira email
5. Paste the API token created previously
6. Test the connection

Step 3: Map Projects

Map your Jira projects with your projects in Workload to ensure consistent synchronization:

• Automatic mapping: Workload can automatically map projects with the same name
• Manual mapping: For projects with different names, create the mapping manually
• Verification: Verify that all important projects are mapped

Step 4: Configure Synchronization

Configure synchronization frequency and settings:

• Frequency: Daily (recommended) or weekly according to your needs
• Period: Define synchronization period (e.g., last 3 months)
• Filters: Optionally, filter by team, project, or person
• Alerts: Enable alerts in case of synchronization errors

Step 5: Enable Automatic Synchronization

Once configuration is complete, enable automatic synchronization. Workload will synchronize data according to configured frequency.

Best Practices for Successful Integration

To maximize integration benefits, follow these best practices:

1. Data Quality in Jira Tempo

Ensure your teams correctly enter their time in Jira Tempo:

• Train your teams to use Jira Tempo correctly
• Define clear entry rules (granularity, categories, etc.)
• Regularly check data quality

2. Regular Verification

Regularly verify synchronized data quality:

• Compare Jira vs Workload totals
• Identify gaps and their causes
• Fix problems quickly

3. Alert Configuration

Configure alerts to be notified in case of problems:

• Alerts in case of synchronization errors
• Alerts if synchronization hasn't occurred for X days
• Alerts in case of significant gaps between planned and actual

4. Team Training

Train your teams to correctly use Jira Tempo:

• Organize training sessions
• Create usage guides
• Set up support to answer questions

Common Problem Resolution

Here's how to resolve the most frequent problems:

Problem 1: Synchronization Fails

Possible causes: Expired API token, insufficient rights, incorrect URL

Solution: Check API token, user rights, and Jira instance URL

Problem 2: Incomplete Data

Possible causes: Unmapped projects, too restrictive filters

Solution: Check project mapping and adjust filters

Problem 3: Gaps between Jira and Workload

Possible causes: Synchronization delay, unsynchronized data

Solution: Check last synchronization and launch manual synchronization if necessary

Other Possible Timesheet Integrations

In addition to Jira Tempo, Workload integrates with:

• Azure DevOps: For Microsoft teams
• Toggl: Popular timesheet tool
• Clockify: Free alternative
• Harvest: For billing
• CSV/Excel: Manual import for other tools

Integration ROI

Jira Tempo integration brings measurable ROI:

• Time savings: 5-10 hours saved per week
• Error reduction: 90% reduction in entry errors
• Forecast improvement: +25% accuracy thanks to actual data
• ROI: Return on investment in less than a month

Conclusion

Jira Tempo integration with your capacity planning tool is essential for effective and accurate management. It eliminates manual entry, reduces errors, and improves forecast accuracy.

Discover how Workload simplifies this integration with 5-minute configuration and reliable automatic synchronization. Try free for 14 days and see the difference.