"Funnel in Jira" is not a native or built-in feature of the software but is a strategic approach to visualizing and managing a multi-stage process using Jira's core functionalities.
By leveraging Jira's workflows, statuses, boards, and reporting, teams can transform the standard issue-tracking system into a powerful, data-rich funnel for various business processes like sales, marketing, and software development. A Jira funnel tracks and visualizes the flow of "issues" (e.g., leads, feature requests, or bugs) from a broad initial stage down to a final, successful completion.
How a Jira funnel works
A Jira funnel is built on the same principles as a conventional sales or marketing funnel, but it is applied to a specific workflow within Jira.
- Stages become Jira statuses: The distinct stages of the funnel are mapped to corresponding issue statuses in a Jira workflow. For a sales funnel, these might include "Lead," "Waiting for Quote," and "Approved". For a development funnel, this could mean "Idea," "In Backlog," "In Progress," and "Done".
- Issues are the items being funneled: Each item moving through the process, such as a potential customer, a new feature request, or a support ticket, is represented as a Jira issue. The issues start in a broad, initial status and are moved through the workflow as they progress.
- Visualization is done via reports and dashboards: The "funnel" shape is visualized using charts and reports that show the number of issues at each stage of the process. A visual funnel report can be created using tools like:
- Atlassian Marketplace apps: Third-party add-ons like Funnels for Jira are specifically designed to generate funnel charts and journey reports based on your workflow statuses.
- Custom dashboards: Users can build their own funnel-like reports by using Jira's dashboard gadgets, often displaying issue counts per status in a way that mimics a funnel shape.
Common applications and examples
Sales funnel
Many sales and account management teams use Jira to track the journey of a potential customer, providing visibility and transparency to the entire team.
- Workflow: Lead → Waiting for Quote → Quote Sent → Waiting for PO → Approved Service → Closed
- Benefits: Tracks deal size, assigns ownership, monitors the last customer interaction date, and identifies bottlenecks in the sales process.
- Example: A new client inquiry is logged as a "Lead" issue. As the sales representative sends a proposal, they transition the issue to "Quote Sent." By tracking the number of issues at each stage, managers can see where deals are getting stuck.
Software development funnel
For agile development, a funnel can be used to manage the flow of ideas and feature requests before they enter the active sprint backlog.
- Workflow: Idea (Backlog Funnel) → Prioritized (Backlog) → In Progress → In Review → Done
- Benefits: Helps capture, prioritize, and refine ideas systematically, ensuring only the most valuable items make it into the active backlog. It provides a buffer to filter out low-value items before a team dedicates resources to them.
- Example: A customer suggests a new feature. It is logged as an "Idea" in the backlog funnel. After a product manager reviews it and determines its value, they move it to the "Prioritized" status, where it can be considered for a future sprint.
Key metrics and insights from a Jira funnel
A funnel implementation in Jira provides key metrics that offer deep insights into process efficiency and performance.
- Conversion rates: The percentage of issues that successfully move from one stage to the next. High drop-off rates at a particular stage indicate a problem that needs investigation.
- Average time in status (Cycle Time): The amount of time issues spend in each stage. This helps identify process bottlenecks. If issues are spending too long in the "In Review" status, it may indicate a need for more reviewers.
- Bottleneck detection: By visualizing where issues pile up and stall, a team can quickly pinpoint areas of inefficiency in their workflow.
- Performance monitoring: Comparing funnel metrics over time or across different teams can help monitor overall performance and identify areas for improvement.
How to set up a funnel in Jira
- Define your stages: Clearly map out the logical stages of your process.
- Create or customize a Jira workflow: In your Jira project, create or modify the workflow to include the statuses that match your funnel stages.
- Use a Jira board: Set up a Kanban or Scrum board that displays your workflow columns, making it easy to visually track issues as they progress.
- Create reports and dashboards: Use Atlassian Marketplace apps or native Jira dashboard gadgets to visualize the funnel. A common approach is to use a filter to find all issues within the funnel and then display them in a chart.
- Train your team: Ensure all team members understand the new workflow and consistently move issues to the correct status as they complete their work.