Merging two teams in Jira is never a simple “copy and paste” job. Whether you’re consolidating projects or unifying processes, it involves careful planning, technical execution, and — perhaps most importantly — managing people’s expectations.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the complexities of merging teams, the technical steps involved, and the softer (but critical) aspects of stakeholder alignment.
Why Consolidation Is More Than Just Migration
If you’re merging two Jira instances, the first thought might be, “Let’s just migrate the projects over.” While that’s a challenge in itself, the bigger task is ensuring both teams work in a unified way after the migration.
Even if the teams are already on the same Jira instance, merging their processes is a major change. This means:
- Aligning workflows.
- Standardizing issue types.
- Consolidating custom fields.
- Ensuring common reporting methods.
The goal isn’t just technical unification — it’s creating one way of working that everyone follows.
Step 1 – Assess the Current State
Before you do anything, you need a clear picture of:
- Are the teams on different Jira instances or the same one?
- Do they use separate projects or a shared project?
- What are their current workflows, issue types, and fields?
Different instances mean you’ll deal with a data migration (projects, users, configurations).
Same instance means you’ll need to reconfigure and align settings, which can be equally challenging.
Step 2 – Decide on Project Structure
You must determine whether the teams will:
- Share one project, or
- Keep separate projects but follow the same processes.
If they’re aiming for a common goal and a consistent way of working, a single project might make sense. But in other cases, separate projects with aligned configurations can work better.
Step 3 – Align Configurations
Here’s where the real technical work begins:
1. Workflows
Migrating workflows is relatively straightforward. Jira allows you to map statuses from one workflow to another during migration.
2. Issue Types
This can get tricky, especially if hierarchy differs between teams.
Example:
- Team A: Initiative → Epic → Story
- Team B: Feature → Epic → Story
You’ll need to decide on a unified hierarchy and update existing issues accordingly.
3. Custom Fields
Custom fields are often a pain point. You might find two fields with the same purpose but different names (e.g., “Root Cause Analysis” vs “RCA”).
Options include:
- Bulk updating issues to use a single standardized field.
- Writing scripts to migrate data from multiple fields into one.
4. Reports, Automations, and Integrations
- Update reports to reflect the new process.
- Review automation rules for compatibility.
- Adjust integrations so they work with the merged structure.
Step 4 – Stakeholder Alignment
This is often the hardest part.
You might face resistance because:
- Teams are comfortable with their current setup.
- Leaders have different priorities.
To overcome this, you need:
- Open discussions in a common forum.
- Agreement on a shared way of working.
- Clarity on why the change is happening and the benefits.
Step 5 – Implementation & Training
Once the plan is in place:
- Implement configuration changes in Jira.
- Train all users on the new processes.
- Provide ongoing support during the transition.
Why This Matters
If not done carefully, team consolidation can:
- Lower productivity.
- Cause frustration.
- Lead to disengaged engineers or even attrition.
Handled well, though, it:
- Improves collaboration.
- Enables consistent reporting.
- Makes Jira a true tool for visibility and efficiency.
Final Thoughts
Consolidating two teams in Jira isn’t just about merging projects — it’s about merging people, processes, and culture. The technical migration is the easy part; the harder part is ensuring everyone buys into the new way of working.
If your organization is struggling with this, experienced Jira consultants can help not only with the technical execution but also with stakeholder discussions and process alignment.