Hey everyone,
I’m trying to move our team’s issues from an old tracking system to Jira. I’ve already figured out how to bring in the basic issue info using a custom version of the jira-importer-plugin.jar file. But now I’m stuck on getting the issue history to come along too.
Does anyone know if there’s a way to push the change history from our old system into Jira? I’ve been looking for a solution but can’t seem to find a clear answer.
If you’ve done this before, could you walk me through the steps? I’m especially interested in how to get the history data from our database into Jira’s format.
Thanks in advance for any help or tips you can give me!
I’ve actually gone through this process recently, and it can be a bit tricky. The key is to use Jira’s REST API for importing issue history. You’ll need to create a script that reads the history data from your old system’s database and formats it into Jira’s expected JSON structure.
Here’s a rough outline of the steps:
- Extract history data from your old system
- Map old system fields to Jira fields
- Format history entries as Jira changelog items
- Use Jira’s /rest/api/2/issue/{issueIdOrKey}/changelog endpoint to POST the history
The trickiest part is getting the changelog format right. Each entry needs a timestamp, author, and the specific field changes. You might need to do some data cleaning and transformation along the way.
One gotcha to watch out for: make sure your script handles rate limiting, as Jira’s API has request limits. Also, double-check all the timestamps to ensure they’re in the correct format Jira expects.
It’s not a quick process, but it’s doable with some scripting knowledge and patience. Good luck with your migration!
Having migrated issue histories before, I can attest it’s a complex process. The Jira REST API is indeed your best bet. You’ll need to create a custom script to extract and transform your old system’s data into Jira’s required format. Focus on mapping fields correctly and formatting changelog entries accurately. Be prepared for potential data inconsistencies and plan for error handling. Testing with a small subset of issues first is crucial. Also, consider the impact on existing Jira workflows and customizations. If you’re not comfortable with scripting, engaging a Jira consultant might be worthwhile. They can help ensure a smooth transition and minimize data loss or corruption during the migration process.
hey owen, i’ve done this before. u can use the jira rest api to import history. u’ll need to write a script to read ur old data and format it for jira’s json structure. it’s a bit of work but doable. make sure to handle rate limits and check timestamps. good luck with ur migration, let me know if u need more help!