Tableau Connector for Jira

Build 23.0.8839

Configuring a Connection

After Installing the Connector you can connect and create a Data Source for data in Jira.

Setting Up a Data Source

Complete the following steps to connect to the data:

  1. Under Connect | To a Server, click More....
  2. Select the data source called Jira by CData.
  3. Enter the information required for the connection.
  4. Click Sign In.
  5. If necessary, select a Database and Schema to discover what tables and views are available.

Using the Connection Builder

The connector makes the most common connection properties available directly in Tableau. However, it can be difficult to use if you need to use more advanced settings or need to troubleshoot connection issues. The connector includes a separate connection builder that allows you to create and test connections outside of Tableau.

There are two ways to access the connection builder:

  • On Windows, use a shortcut called Connection Builder in the Start menu, under the CData Tableau Connector for Jira folder.
  • You can also start the connection builder by going to the driver install directory and running the .jar file in the lib directory.

In the connection builder, you can set values for connection properties and click Test Connection to validate that they work. You can also use the Copy to Clipboard button to save the connection string. This connection string can be given to the Connection String option included in the connector connection window in Tableau.

Connecting to Jira

To connect set the URL to your Jira endpoint; for example, https://yoursitename.atlassian.net.

Accessing Custom Fields

By default the connector surfaces only system fields. To access the custom fields for Issues, either set IncludeCustomFields to true, or extend the connector schemas to configure access to custom fields. (See Custom Fields.) Note that the server response time can be significantly slower when custom fields are included.

Authenticating to Jira

Jira supports authentication via either a Personal Access Token or OAuth 2.0.

Personal Access Token (PAT)

PATs are a secure way to authenticate to Jira, acting as a safe alternative to authenticating with a username and password. The advantage of authentication via PAT is that if the system is ever compromised, the administrator can revoke existing tokens immediately. This avoids the need to change the access password in all scripts and integrations.

PATs are created by each individual user. When created, they automatically have the same permissions level as the user. Users can create a PAT either via their Atlassian Settings menu, or using a REST API.

From the Atlassian application:

  1. Select the profile picture at the top right of the screen. Jira displays a drop-down list.
  2. Choose Settings >Profile.
  3. At the left panel, select Personal Access Tokens
  4. Click Create token
  5. Give the new token a name.
  6. If desired, set the token to automatically expire after a certain number of days. (Atlassian displays a reminder message five days before the token actually expires, which gives the user time to create a new token.)
  7. Click Create.

The personal token displays. It cannot be viewed or retrieved after creation, so be sure to copy the token now and store it in a safe place.

Now set the following Jira connector properties:

  • AuthScheme = OAuth
  • OAuthAccessToken = the value of the generated Personal Access Token.
  • InitiateOAuth = OFF

Note: PATs can also be created using the REST API. For further information, see Jira's documentation on Creating PATs at https://confluence.atlassian.com/enterprise/using-personal-access-tokens-1026032365.html.

OAuth 2.0

You can leverage Jira's "three-legged" OAuth 2.0 support (3LO) to connect to data without providing your login credentials.

The following procedures assume that AuthScheme has been set to OAuth in all OAuth flows.

Desktop Applications

CData provides an embedded OAuth application that simplifies OAuth desktop Authentication. Alternatively, you can create a custom OAuth application. See Creating a Custom OAuth Application for information about creating custom applications and reasons for doing so.

After setting the following, you are ready to connect:

  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
  • OAuthClientId (custom applications only): Set this to the client Id assigned when you registeredcation.
  • OAuthClientSecret (custom applications only): Set this to the client secret assigned when you registered your application.
  • CallbackURL (custom applications only): Set this to the redirect URI defined when you registered your application.
  • Url (custom applications only): Set this to the URL to your Jira endpoint, for example, https://yoursitename.atlassian.net.
  • OAuthVersion (custom applications only): Set this to 2.0.
When you connect, the connector opens Jira's OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application. The connector then completes the OAuth process:

  • The connector obtains an access token from Jira and uses it to request data.
  • Extracts the access token from the callback URL and authenticates requests.
  • Saves OAuth values in the location specified in OAuthSettingsLocation. These values persist across connections.
The connector refreshes the access token automatically when it expires.

OAuth 1.0

To connect to Jira you have to follow the steps below:

  1. Generate an RSA public/private key pair. In your terminal, run the following commands: 
    -openssl genrsa -out jira_privatekey.pem 1024
-openssl req -newkey rsa:1024 -x509 -key jira_privatekey.pem -out jira_publickey.cer -days 365
-openssl pkcs8 -topk8 -nocrypt -in jira_privatekey.pem -out jira_privatekey.pcks8
-openssl x509 -pubkey -noout -in jira_publickey.cer  -out jira_publickey.pem
  2. Create application links in your account. Go to Settings > Applications > Application links.
  3. Enter a test URL for the url field, click Create new link.
  4. Ignore the error and click continue. You need only configure incoming calls (from the application to Jira).
  5. In the Link applications window, filling in the fields is optional, since they are not relevant to this task. But make sure to select Create incoming link. Click Continue. to go to the next page.
  6. Fill in the required fields:
    • Consumer Key: Use any string you want. This is required for the OAuthClientId connection property.
    • Consumer Name: Use any string you want.
    • Public key: Enter the key from the jira_publickey.pem file you generated earlier.
  7. Click Continue.
To connect set the following properties:

  • URL (for example: https://yoursitename.atlassian.net).
  • OAuthClientId to the Consumer Key of your application.
  • OAuthClientSecret to any value (such as 'testClientSecret').
  • CertificateStore to the location of your private key file.
  • CertificateStoreType to the appropriate option based on the private key file being used. If using the generated PEM key file, set CertificateStoreType to PEMKEY_FILE.
  • InitiateOAuth to GETANDREFRESH.

API Token

You can establish a connection to any Jira Cloud account by setting the AuthScheme to APIToken and providing the User and APIToken.
An API token is necessary for basic authentication to Cloud instances. To generate one, log in to your Atlassian account and navigate to Security > Create and manage API tokens > Create API token. The generated token will be displayed.

Basic

You can establish a connection to any Jira Server instance by setting the AuthScheme to Basic. To connect to a Server Instance provide the User and Password.
(Note: Password has been deprecated for connecting to a Cloud Account and is now used only to connect to a Server Instance.)

LDAP

You can establish a connection to any Jira Server instance by setting the AuthScheme to LDAP. Additionally provide the URL, User and Password of the Jira instance. (Note: LDAP Authentication is not currently supported for Cloud accounts.)

Crowd

Set the AuthScheme to Crowd. The following connection properties are used to connect to Crowd:

  • User: The CROWD user account.
  • Password: The password associated with the Crowd account.
  • SSOLoginURL: The login URL associated with the Crowd account. You can find the IDP URL by navigating to your application -> SSO -> SSO information -> Identity provider single sign-on URL.
  • SSOAppName: The name of the application in which SSO is enabled.
  • SSOAppPassword: The password of the application in which SSO is enabled.
  • SSOExchangeUrl: The URL used used to exchange the SAML token for Jira cookies. This URL may have the following formats:
    • https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlconsumer
    • https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlsso

The following is an example connection string: 

AuthScheme=Crowd;Url=https://yoursitename.atlassian.net;SSOLoginURL='https://<authority>/crowd/console/secure/saml/sso.action';User=crowdUserName;Password=crowdPassword;SSOExchangeUrl=https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlconsumer;SSOAppName=CrowdAppName;SSOAppPassword=CrowdAppPassword;

Okta

To connect to Okta, set the AuthScheme to Okta, and set these properties:

  • User: The Okta user.
  • Password: The Okta user's password.
  • SSOLoginURL: The SSO provider's login URL.
  • SSOExchangeUrl: The URL used used to exchange the SAML token for Jira cookies. This URL may have the following formats:
    • https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlconsumer
    • https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlsso

If you are using a trusted application or proxy that overrides the Okta client request OR configuring MFA, you must use combinations of SSOProperties to authenticate using Okta. Set any of the following, as applicable:

  • APIToken: When authenticating a user via a trusted application or proxy that overrides the Okta client request context, set this to the API Token the customer created from the Okta organization.
  • MFAType: If you have configured the MFA flow, set this to one of the following supported types: OktaVerify, Email, or SMS.
  • MFAPassCode: If you have configured the MFA flow, set this to a valid passcode.
    If you set this to empty or an invalid value, the connector issues a one-time password challenge to your device or email. After the passcode is received, reopen the connection where the retrieved one-time password value is set to the MFAPassCode connection property.
  • MFARememberDevice: True by default. Okta supports remembering devices when MFA is required. If remembering devices is allowed according to the configured authentication policies, the connector sends a device token to extend MFA authentication lifetime. If you do not want MFA to be remembered, set this variable to False.

Example connection string: 

AuthScheme=Okta;Url=https://yoursitename.atlassian.net;SSOLoginURL='https://example.okta.com/home/appType/0bg4ivz6cJRZgCz5d6/46';User=oktaUserName;Password=oktaPassword;SSOExchangeUrl=https://<authority of Jira instance>/plugins/servlet/samlconsumer;

Next Step

See Using the Connector to create data visualizations.

Copyright (c) 2024 CData Software, Inc. - All rights reserved.
Build 23.0.8839