TL;DR
External data in Jira: Elements Connect let a European utility company surface live data from a legacy SQL database and from internal APIs directly in Jira fields, with no duplication and no manual updates.
App consolidation: The Server-to-Cloud migration went from 32 Jira apps down to 9, with Elements Connect replacing custom-built integrations.
API as single source of truth: Two Jira custom fields, each tied to one API endpoint, feed component lists across workflow transitions and screens, so local admins update them autonomously.
Safe custom field migration: A Python script mapped legacy custom field values into new Elements Connect fields in Cloud, avoiding data loss and downtime.
Outcome: Lower maintenance, compliance-ready security, better scalability, and a single source of truth across 800+ projects and 5,000+ users.
Migrating from Jira Server to Cloud is no small feat, especially when managing over 800 projects and 5,000+ users in a highly-regulated industry such as the Energy one. For this European major electricity provider, Elements Connect proved to be at the core of the migration by allowing them to simplify and scale external data integration, replacing custom-built solutions with robust, maintainable connections.
Why did the utility company migrate Jira from Server to Cloud?
The migration of the utility company’s Jira environment to the Cloud was one of the most significant projects for Sngular, their long-time partner, had ever led. With over 32 Jira apps on their legacy Server instance, thousands of users, and strict data compliance requirements, the stakes were high. Bryan, a Technical Architect at Sngular, oversaw the project end-to-end, ensuring the system was modernized without compromising business continuity.
One of the most business-critical Jira initiatives at this utility company is the project where it is managed the global demand management program that captures and manages all requests for application development and modifications. But Jira is more than just a project management tool for them. It supports diverse workflows across marketing, sales, HR, and development, making it a backbone of their digital operations.
How do you consolidate Jira apps during a Server-to-Cloud migration?
The migration from Server to Cloud took nearly 12 months and involved a true rationalization: the multinational went from 32 apps down to just 9 on Cloud. This consolidation was strategic, focusing on security, performance, and scalability. Custom-built solutions were phased out in favor of robust apps that offered out-of-the-box support for complex use cases, an easier maintenance and better integration to Jira, with Elements Connect emerging as a standout tool.
1. How do you connect a SQL database to Jira?
The first challenge was integrating Jira with a legacy SQL database. At face value, it might seem like a simple data connection but for this global player in the energy sector, it played a vital role in streamlining how information was surfaced across their workflows.
Using Elements Connect, the company configured dynamic fields in Jira that displayed live data from the SQL database, ensuring teams always have access to up-to-date information without duplicating data or requiring manual updates.
This setup significantly reduces maintenance, simplified reporting, and ensures a single source of truth for critical data points.
How do you populate Jira custom fields from an API?
The second, and far more complex challenge was managing global components representing different internal teams. These components needed to be dynamically populated into Jira fields and accessible across various screens and workflow steps.
Here’s how Elements Connect helped:
- Two custom fields were created, each connected to a single API endpoint.
- Each API returned a structured list of components specific to a project or team.
- These fields were displayed in multiple workflow transitions and screens, empowering users with contextual, real-time data throughout the process.
This solution delivered flexibility to project administrators who could now update component lists autonomously, without involving the platform team or risking inconsistencies in data sources.
“We wanted to avoid high maintenance in our instance. By using one API as a single source of truth, we’ve greatly simplified the system.” — Multinational utility company team member
How does centralizing data in one API reduce Jira admin overhead?
One of the company’s primary goals was to lower the administrative burden on their Jira instance while empowering individual teams to maintain autonomy.
Before implementing Elements Connect, updating components meant changing multiple data sources, a time-consuming and error-prone process. Now, by centralizing control through a single API, any changes cascade automatically across all relevant projects.
This architecture also ensured that sensitive data remained secure and compliant with company policies, an essential requirement given the regulatory context in which this major utility company operates.
What are the challenges of integrating external data into Jira?
As with any large-scale migration, the project wasn’t without challenges. Two major hurdles emerged:
- Security concerns related to accessing external data under strict privacy policies.
- Performance delays when rendering dynamic field values via API, especially for complex datasets.
Thanks to the close collaboration between Sngular and Elements Connect’s support team, both issues were addressed within a couple of months. The app’s performance was optimized for large-scale use, and security configurations were fine-tuned to meet company standards.
“The experience related to the support was really helpful.” – Bryan, Technical Architect at Sngular
How do you migrate Jira custom fields to Cloud without data loss?
Before adopting Elements Connect, the electricity provider relied on custom apps to integrate external data into Jira. To ensure continuity and avoid data loss during the migration, Bryan’s team developed a Python script that mapped and migrated all values from the legacy custom fields into newly created Elements Connect custom fields in Cloud.
This scripting approach allowed the team to automate a large portion of the migration, reducing manual effort and minimizing downtime.
What benefits did Elements Connect deliver for the Jira Cloud migration?
In Bryan’s view, Elements Connect wasn’t just a plugin, it was a core enabler of the migration. By centralizing data sources, reducing maintenance, and empowering local project administrators, the app played a critical role in simplifying the architecture of the company’s Jira Cloud instance.
Benefits delivered:
- Better Jira Integration, thanks to Elements Connect ability to be fully compatible with Jira native functionalities
- Faster maintenance handled by a Jira specialist team via centralized APIs and simplified field configuration.
- Improved scalability by empowering local admins to manage data.
- Compliance-ready setup, designed for the highest security standards in highly regulated industries.
- No tools switching, by accessing live external data without any manual actions and from a single source of truth
How did Sngular support the Elements Connect implementation?
The success of the multinational migration is also thanks to the long-standing and trusted partnership between Elements and Sngular. With extensive knowledge of Elements apps and deep expertise in Atlassian solutions, Sngular has been a reliable partner for years, delivering tailored implementations and support for complex enterprise environments. Their strong collaboration ensures customers benefit from proven experience and seamless integration, helping organizations unlock the full potential of Elements’ products and drive successful digital transformations.
What’s next for external data integration in Jira?
With the successful migration behind them, the energy provider and Sngular are now looking at how they can extend the usage of Elements Connect to other parts of the organization. Given the app’s flexibility, they’re considering more API-based integrations and advanced field configurations to further streamline cross-functional workflows.
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Frequently asked questions
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Elements Connect lets you create dynamic Jira fields that read data from external sources — SQL databases, REST APIs — and display it live inside work items, screens, and workflow transitions. The utility company used it to surface SQL data and API-driven component lists without duplicating records or updating them manually, keeping a single source of truth.
With Elements Connect, the company configured dynamic fields that display live data from a legacy SQL database. Teams always see up-to-date information without copying data into Jira or running manual updates, which reduces maintenance and simplifies reporting.
Two Jira custom fields were each connected to a single API endpoint, and each API returned a structured list of components specific to a project or team. These fields appeared across multiple workflow transitions and screens, giving users real-time context. Because one API acts as the source of truth, project admins update component lists autonomously, without the platform team.
Before adopting Elements Connect, the provider relied on custom apps for external data. To avoid data loss, the team built a Python script that mapped and migrated all legacy custom field values into the new Elements Connect fields in Cloud, automating most of the migration and minimizing downtime.
Centralizing data sources through Elements Connect reduced maintenance, let local admins manage their own data, and kept the setup compliant with strict security standards. During the migration the Jira instance went from 32 apps down to 9, with Elements Connect handling external data integration natively alongside Jira’s own fields.