In a Jira environment, things are constantly changing, whether it comes to the addition of new workflows and the modification of permissions, or the updating of fields and the transition of work items through their statuses. On the one hand, these updates will keep projects on course; on the other hand, they may pose risks: incorrectly configured systems, unauthorized access, or the lack of compliance records.
And this is where Jira audits come in. Systematically checking changes on the system level (such as configuration and permissions) and work item level (such as field edits and status transitions) will help you make your projects secure, compliant, and well-documented.
This Jira Audit Checklist will take you through step by step. You will learn how to review changes at the admin level and access a detailed work item history. It will provide Jira admins, compliance officers, and project leads with complete visibility.
Review System-Level Audit Log
Begin by reviewing Jira’s built-in Audit Log for the last system and configuration changes. Search for any updates to permissions, workflows, custom fields, or other settings that may impact your projects.
- Open Settings → System → Audit Log.
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- Search for specific changes (project changes, workflow edits, permission updates, screen modifications, configuration, or custom field changes).
- Export logs to CSV for archival or review. You can export up to 100,000 events.
For advanced system change audits, it’s recommended to use Advanced Audit Log for Jira app. This app is perfect for Jira admins and security teams to keep a record of all structural or system changes on the instance with ease. It records workflow changes, screen configuration changes, and custom field modifications. Using it, you can know who made the change, what was changed, and when exactly it happened.
Audit User Permissions and Roles
Regularly auditing user permissions can keep your Jira instance safe and compliant. Users switch roles, projects change over time, and existing accounts may be inactive, all of which create a risk of unauthorized access.
- Review global permissions.
Go to Settings → System → Global permissions. Check who has Jira Administrators access. Delete unnecessary high-level access to those who no longer need it, and maintain a record of authorized admins.
- Check group memberships.
Go to Settings → User Management → Groups. Review each group to see its members. Delete inactive or unauthorized accounts.
- Validate project roles.
Within each project, go to Project Settings → People. Ensure that sensitive projects are visible to only the people required, and role assignment should be modified to avoid inadvertent overexposure of information.
Track Work Item-Level Changes
What is happening inside the work items is not always reflected in system audit logs. Field updates, status transitions, comment edits, and bulk changes are not noticed unless you specifically check them. Monitoring these changes will enable you to know the progress of work and keep proper records of the project.
- Review changes in priority and due dates.
Using Issue History for Jira app, you can quickly find out when a task priority or due date has been changed, who made the change, and the old value.
To get started, open the app, filter out your dates and projects, and then go to the Columns menu to choose the Priority and Due date fields. The report will immediately show all the associated changes.
Monitoring these changes helps you identify scheduling problems early and ensures realistic deadlines. It is also easier to remind team members of the deadlines they agreed to.
- Detect unusual status transitions.
Unusual status changes, such as work items transitioning between “In Progress” and “Done” or frequently being reopened, can signal process problems or unclear requirements.
With Issue History for Jira app, filter by Status to see when and how work items changed. You’ll get the old and new status, who made the change, and when, so you can spot and fix problems quickly.
- Identify bulk edits that could affect multiple work items.
Bulk edits can be a time-saver, but they can also change a lot of work items incorrectly at the same time. This can lead to incorrect priorities, deadlines, or statuses.
In the Issue History for Jira app, switch to Activity view and use the necessary filters by project, date, and fields. If some work items were changed with the help of the Bulk Change functionality in Jira, you’ll see them in the app.
Audit Deleted Work Items
Removed issues can refer to deleted duplicates, outdated tasks, or even those deleted by mistake, and without proper tracking, some valuable data can be lost. Knowing who might have deleted a work item and when will help you confirm that the deletion was not an accident.
- Identify who deleted work items and when.
Issue History for Jira app helps identify deleted work items, showing their key details and change history.
Summing Up
Conducting regular Jira audits is critical in ensuring that your projects are secure and compliant. By monitoring changes at the system level, examining user authorizations, and tracking work items, you can easily identify risks and avoid costly errors.
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