Rachel Wright is an entrepreneur, Certified JIRA Administrator, and author of the JIRA Strategy Admin Workbook. She started using JIRA in 2011, became a JIRA administrator in 2013, and was certified in 2016. She is the owner and founder of Industry Templates, LLC, which helps companies grow, get organized, and develop their processes.
The Strategy for Jira Tour is back on the road! Our next presentation is a remote one in Anaheim, CA. Rachel will present “Best Practices for Managing and Maintaining Your Jira Application” at the next Orange County Atlassian Community Event, on October 22, 2019.
Speakers: Rachel Wright (Strategy for Jira®), Peter Toudjarski (Botron Software), and Michael March (Isos Technology)
You know if you don’t maintain your Jira application that it can quickly grow out of control. But where do you start? How do you make small improvements without impacting daily business? What should you do if your application is already a bit of a mess?
In this presentation, we’ll address:
how to set standards so you don’t have more schemes to maintain than necessary,
how to clean up schemes and custom fields when you have too many,
how to archive old projects and unneeded issues,
and how to track changes and customization requests so you have a record and an audit trail.
Atlassian Community Events are where users meet, learn, network, and share best practices. User groups meet locally and all over the world. Group members are newbies and veterans who like to “talk shop” about Atlassian software, Agile development, DevOps, software, and related business topics. Attend these events to network with your peers, share solutions, meet Atlassian Solution Partners, get special content from Atlassian, and maybe enjoy a beer or two.
I frequently combine my love for travel with my love of Atlassian products. In my “Boondocking with Jira and Confluence” series, I used two Atlassian tools to plan our first “off-grid” camping experience. We’ve been touring the US in an RV since 2015, and have always used Jira and Confluence to plan trips. Now it’s time for my next adventure! This time, I’ll use Trello to plan a 200-mile walk on the Camino de Santiago in Spain!
Frequently asked questions about Trello and my trip:
What is the Camino de Santiago?
The Camino de Santiago is a network of ancient pilgrim routes that lead to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. Each year, over 300,000 walkers, cyclists, and even a few horseback riders, travel many routes originating in Spain, Portugal, and France. This 4-minute video provides a good overview of the journey.
How far are you walking?
Decision made and Trello card completed
“Which route will I take?“, “Where will I start and end?“, and “When will I go?” were all early questions on my Trello board. I couldn’t plan any other travel details until I answered those questions. I read countless travel books and blogs to decide and once I had answers, I used Trello’s “Due Date” function to mark those cards complete and move on to other planning tasks.
My portion of the walk is approximately 200 miles or 313 kilometers. I’ll walk the most popular route, called the Camino Francés, and start in Leon, Spain. I’ve been to Barcelona twice, both for Atlassian Summit, so this time, I’m arriving in Madrid.
The full Camino Francés route starts from St. Jean Pied-de-Port in France. This route is approx 480 mi /775 km, requires a climb over the Pyrenees mountains, and takes 5 or more weeks to complete. That seemed a little daunting for my first long-distance hike! I’ll try this shorted version first and see how it goes.
While I’m “Trekking with Trello” enjoy $10 off your order at the Strategy for Jira Store Code: TREKKING Shop Now Valid: September 2019
Why are you walking?
To be completely honest, I don’t know yet. I’m hoping I’ll know when I arrive in Santiago. I’d heard of this walk a very long time ago but I can clearly remember the day I decided I wanted to attempt it. In the fall of 2017, our RV trip took us to Phoenix, Arizona. I saw an advertisement for a documentary film showing right down the street from our campground. “I’ll Push You“, is a film about a man who pushed his wheelchair-bound best friend the entire length of the Camino. Their inspiring story, and the desire to do something interesting with my vacation time, motivated my trip.
Others do the walk for a variety of reasons including spiritual, religious, adventure, tribute, remembrance, transition, celebration, etc. In another documentaty, a group used the experience to overcome addiction. I even read a story of walking the Camino as penance. The potential reasons and personal motivations are endless.
What type of terrain is the trail?
The trail is every material except sand and lava. (If you haven’t done a lava trek, add that to your bucket list. I highly recommend it!) The route leads through large cities, tiny villages, and vast countryside in between. I’m expecting a mix of rock, mud, grass, gravel, dirt, cobblestone, and asphalt.
There’s quite a debate on which type of footwear is best for the varied terrain. I’ve concluded boots vs. sneakers is a personal preference. I’ve selected a waterproof trekking sneaker and have tested them thoroughly. The first pair is worn out from many miles of testing. The middle pair is slightly too small. The last pair is just right and will accompany me on my trip.
How are you using Trello to plan the trip?
Trello lets you create lists and tasks in a flexible and highly visual way. It helps people and groups organize their “to do” lists and projects. Work teams can track projects like a new product launch, a social media schedule, or to prioritize a list of ideas. Families can track their kitchen remodel project, weekly chores, or shopping list. I’m using Trello to research, plan, and prepare for my long-distance walk.
Initial Trello board with 5 planning lists
I started with a blank Trello board and added 5 lists to encompass my planning process. The “Resources” list includes all my research items, like books to read, videos to watch, and logistics, like time zone and currency differences. The “Decisions” list captures all the questions to answer before booking flights and making additional plans.
In the “Travel” column, I added the Skyscanner power-up to monitor the costs of flights to Madrid. A power-up is a way to extend Trello’s features and integrate it with other Atlassian and third-party apps. The Skyscanner tip is from Bridget Sauer on the Atlassian Community Team. Thanks Bridget!
The “Gear” column is for items carried on the trail. I used it to choose between a poncho and a rain suit, to test different types of socks, and to research whether hiking poles are permitted on an airplane. The result: I’ll take a poncho and rain pants, double layer Wrightsocks work really well, and hiking poles are only allowed in checked baggage.
Finally, the “Prep” list includes “to do” items like practice hikes, a reminder to purchase travel insurance, and my packing checklist. My packing list is normally stored in Confluence. I could have connected Confluence and Trello with a power-up, but decided to simply cut and paste. Select your Confluence task items, copy them, and paste them into a Trello checklist. Each item is automatically converted to a checklist item!
Trello board with beginning planning details and the Skyscanner power-up
When are you going?
I’m devoting the month of September 2019 to this adventure and to taking a break. I’ve worked since I was 15, started my first company at 18, and started my first post-college job a few months before I even graduated. This is my first extended break and I’ve earned it. Thank you Giles Knights from ClearHub who helped me realize this break is an accomplishment. I’m grateful for the ability to take this time off.
We have a special promotion for the month of September 2019. Use code “TREKKING” for $10 off your order at the Strategy for Jira Store.
If you need assistance while I’m away, please contact Chris Lutz at clutz@jirastategy.com.
What’s next with Trello?
The next post in this trekking series is about physically preparing to walk long distances. I used Trello to stay focused on my walking plan.
I’ll post additional content as I approach the trip and after I return.
Have a question about my trek or about using Atlassian products like Jira, Jira Service Desk, Confluence, or Trello? Ask questions in the comments section below.
The Strategy for Jira Tour is back on the road! Our next presentation is a remote one in Boise, Idaho. Rachel will present her top “Jira Admin Mistakes” at the next Boise Atlassian Community Event, on August 15, 2019.
The presentation is based on the Jira Strategy Admin Workbook and its goal is to keep you out of what Rachel calls the “Jira swamp.” Already in the swamp? Let’s dig you out!
This presentation is different – it’s about strategy. It’s recommendations from years of cleaning up horrible Jira configurations! It’s about what you should do, what you shouldn’t do, and why. Hear the mistakes Rachel made as a Jira administrator and real examples of problems to avoid. Would you rather your application be an organized, tidy, and trimmed garden or a foggy, contaminated, overgrown swamp?
Atlassian Community Events are where users meet, learn, network, and share best practices. User groups meet locally and all over the world. Group members are newbies and veterans who like to “talk shop” about Atlassian software, Agile development, DevOps, software, and related business topics. Attend these events to network with your peers, share solutions, meet Atlassian Solution Partners, get special content from Atlassian, and maybe enjoy a beer or two.
As a Jira administrator, I frequently see this problem: child issues are closed but nobody remembered to close the parent issue. Users have already moved on to the next thing and the parent issue sits in its incorrect status forever. Or maybe it’s the opposite: the Epic is closed, but its Stories, Bugs, and Tasks were forgotten.
When issue status does not reflect reality, reporting is a nightmare. All completed or unneeded issues should be transitioned to their final status. Why not take this step off your user’s “to do” list and automate it? It’s easy to automatically transition issues with Innovalog’s Jira Misc Workflow Extensions (JMWE) app.
Use Case
When all child issues are closed, automatically transition the parent so users don’t need to do it manually. Example: When all Sub-tasks are transitioned to the “Closed” status, automatically transition the Task issue to the “Closed” status.
Requirements
You’ll need the following:
Access: Jira application administrator permissions (to install the app) and the ability to edit workflows
Environment: Jira Server, Jira Data Center, or Jira Cloud
Install: Install the JMWE app from the “Find new apps” page in your Jira instance. Apply a free trial or paid license on the “Manage apps” page.
Issue Types: A “Standard” issue type (Example: Task) and a “Sub-Task” issue type (Example: Sub-task). These are default Jira issue types; they likely already exist.
Workflow: Create one simple, 3 step workflow. Example: Open > In Progress > Closed
Issues: Create one “Task” issue and two “Sub-task” issues
Implementation
Here’s how to do it:
Edit the workflow
In diagram mode, create a new global transition
Click “Add transition”
In the “From status” field, select “Any status”
In the “To status” field, select “Closed”
In the “Name” field, enter “Close”
In the “Screen” field, select your standard “Resolve Issue Screen”
Add Transition Screen in Diagram Mode
Here’s how the workflow looks, in Text mode, with the global “Close” transition.
Configure three areas on the transition settings page: “Transition(s)”, “Transition screen”, and “Comment text”.
Under “Transition(s)”:
Click the “Transition Picker” button to select the correct transition. Alternatively, you can type the name of the transition (Example: “Close”) or enter its ID (Example: “31”).
Tip: I prefer to enter the transition’s ID as it’s less likely to change than its label.
Click the “Add” button to the right of the “Workflow name” field. See screenshot
Under “Transition screen”:
Scroll down to the “Transition screen” section
Select the “Resolution” field from the drop down menu
Click the “Add” button
This will automatically set the parent issue’s Resolution to the same Resolution selected when the last child issue was closed. See screenshot
Next to “Comment text”:
Use the “Comment text” field to enter a comment when issues are automatically closed.
Example comment: “This issue was automatically closed when all Sub-tasks reached the “Closed” status.”See screenshot
Click the last “Add” button at the bottom of the transition settings page
Move the new post function after the function called “Update change history for an issue and store the issue in the database.”
The “Transition parent issue” behavior is the forth post function in the “Close” transition.
Also in the “Close” transition:
Add a “Sub-Task Blocking Condition” and select the “Closed” status. This prevents the parent from transitioning until all child issues are closed.
Example behavior: All sub-tasks must have one of the following statuses to allow parent issue transitions: Closed
If you want email notifications sent when the issue is automatically closed, go to the “Post Functions” tab and change “Fire a Generic Event event that can be processed by the listeners.” to “Fire a Issue Closed event that can be processed by the listeners.”
Finally, publish your workflow and assign it to the “Task” and “Sub-task” issue types in your Jira project.
Result
Test your work:
Transition one of your two Sub-task issues to its final “Closed” status
Refresh your parent Task and verify there was no status change, no comment, and no resolution added
Transition your second Sub-task issue to its final “Closed” status
Refresh your parent Task. The Task should automatically transition to its final “Closed” status with a resolution and comment added.
Bonus test: Create a Task issue with no Sub-tasks. Transition the Task to its final “Closed” status. Verify a transition screen is present to collect the resolution. Always make sure closed issues have resolutions!
The two Sub-task issues are in the “Closed” status. The parent Task issue was automatically transitioned to the “Closed” status, a resolution of “Done” was set, and a comment was added.
Q&A
Why did you create a global “Close” transition instead of a single transition?
I wanted to be able to transition the Task issue to the “Closed” status from any status. If users always transition Tasks to the “In Progress” status when they start work, you could create a single transition, in the “In Progress” status, instead.
Why did you add a transition screen to the “Close” transition?
For issues with no Sub-tasks, the user needs to select a resolution value. For issues with Sub-tasks, the parent issue’s resolution will automatically match the resolution of the last Sub-task closed.
Workflows are the most talked about area of Jira. Sometimes workflows don’t represent your real life process. Other times, there are too many manual steps and people hate it! Whatever the situation, users and admins are always interested in learning more and improving workflows. It’s no surprise that “Jira Workflows for Business Teams” is my most popular online course and that workflow materials are the most downloaded items in the Strategy for Jira store.
That’s why I’ve teamed up with Innovalog to help you improve your Jira workflows. Their Jira Misc Workflow Extensions app is one of my favorites in the Atlassian Marketplace. Want to extend your workflow capabilities without code, automatically transition linked issues, or make sure a certain field was updated? The JMWE app does it and so much more! This add-on brings the workflow automation power you’ve been missing in Jira Cloud, Jira Server, and Jira Data Center. I love this plugin so much that I included seven ways to use it in my book. Now, we want to bring those use cases and others to a broader audience. New articles for enhancing workflows are on the way!
About Innovalog
Innovalog, the Atlassian Platinum Top Vendor, is on a mission to make work flow. Their products enable Jira workflows for thousands of companies around the globe and power business-critical processes for millions of users. Jira Misc Workflow Extensions (JMWE) is one of the all-time top-selling apps for Jira! To learn more, watch this 80-second video.
About Rachel Wright
Rachel Wright is an entrepreneur, process engineer, and Atlassian Certified Jira Administrator. She is the owner and founder of Industry Templates, LLC, which helps companies grow, get organized, and develop their processes. Rachel also uses Atlassian tools in her personal life for accomplishing goals and tracking tasks. Her first book, the “Jira Strategy Admin Workbook“, was written in Confluence and progress was tracked in Jira!
Together we’ll help you improve workflows and make work flow.
The 2019 Atlassian Summit user conference took place in the Mandalay Bay Conference Center. On April 9-11, over 5,000 customers, Solution Partners, and Atlassians descended on the city of Las Vegas, Nevada.
The job of an Atlassian administrator is never done. Your list of responsibilities is endless. You’re making sure your applications are up and running so work can get done. You’re weighing the benefits and long-term impacts of customization and add-on requests. You’re assisting users with access, permissions, and restrictions. You’re helping teams get the most out of the applications. And some of you are doing all of this while performing other tasks or managing other software. With all the demands on an Atlassian administrator, where does user training fall on your to do list? If you’re like most admins, it’s probably at the very bottom.
I share the same first AND last name with the Director of Marketing at Appfire
Rachel is hosting a photo challenge in the Summit mobile app. Post a photo of the completed challenge and tag @Rachel Wright for a chance to win! The more challenges you complete the better your chances. Creative posts receive bonus points! Download the Summit mobile app from the Google Play or iOS Store.
Additionally, find Rachel and win in the following locations:
Tue, Apr 9 at 3:00 PM PST: First-Timer Welcome Reception (Mandalay Bay Shoreline Expo Hall)
Thu, Apr 11 at 10:00 AM PST: ServiceRocket (Booth 308)
Also spot Rachel and Chris Lutz walking the conference floor, in the Atlassian Community Lounge, attending sessions, and enjoying Summit!
First-Timer Welcome Reception
Is this your first Summit? This is my eighth! Attend the First-Timer Welcome Reception to hear survival tips from Summit alumni and Atlassian Community Champions Rachel Wright and Fabian Lopez. The reception is on Tue, Apr 9 at 3:00 PM in the Mandalay Bay Shoreline Expo Hall. First time in Las Vegas? See my Summit Travel Guide.
Not at Summit? Use coupon code SUMMIT for 15% off your order in the Strategy for Jira store!
The Jira Strategy Admin Workbook is different – it’s not documentation. It’s over 150 recommendations that stem from years of cleaning up horrible Jira configurations. This book includes 32 real life examples of what NOT to do, over 50 worksheets to get you organized, and templates, code snippets, and wording samples to help you establish and streamline processes.
Summit is the grand Atlassian event of the year. With the palpable enthusiasm of the employees, the knowledge of the presenters, and the immense networking opportunities, this is the place to experience all that is Atlassian. Add the next annual event to your calendar now. Visit summit.atlassian.com for details.
My two favorite things in life are Atlassian Summit and travel! Atlassian’s flagship event, the annual user conference, is in Las Vegas Nevada this April. This will be my eighth Summit and my fourth trip to Vegas! I took the Mandalay Bay photo above in 2006. By now I know a lot about both and am excited to share my conference travel tips.
TIP Make a checklist list of what you plan to accomplish and who you’re hoping to meet at Summit. What do you want to learn from Atlassian? Which Solution Partners will you seek out? I always have a list of names, contact information, and where I might find each person or company.
Vegas Travel Tips
Las Vegas is a 24 hour city in the middle of the desert. It’s hot, dusty, expensive, exciting, thrilling, and like no other place I’ve been. Here are some tips to help you get around while you’re in town for the Atlassian conference.
The Strip vs Downtown
Downtown Las Vegas
The conference is located in an area of Vegas known as “the Strip.” Most of the iconic pictures you’ve seen are probably of this area. The Strip is 4 miles (6.4 k) long and stretches from Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere Tower. There’s also an area 10 miles (16 k) north known as “downtown”, “old Vegas”, or “Fremont Street”. I’ve stayed in both areas and love them for different reasons. Both have an abundance of casinos, glitz, food, and entertainment opportunities. When you’ve done everything you wanted to do on the Strip, head downtown for a different vibe.
If you’re staying on or near the Strip, there’s no need to rent a car. Parking is difficult and traffic is plentiful. Most casinos charge for parking and its never cheap. Instead, use a taxi or a ride-share service, like Uber or Lyft. Download and create an account in one of these mobile apps before you arrive. Taxis don’t stop on the Strip; catch one from a casino or hotel instead.
Walking
Bring good walking shoes and expect to walk a lot. Casino properties are huge and are further apart then they look. Your steps add up while you’re weaving between them and traversing pedestrian foot bridges. There’s a great map of all the major casinos here (.pdf format).
I know some of you have planned a pilgrimage to In-N-Out Burger (fast food hamburgers) on Dean Martin Dr. Please don’t attempt to walk there; it’s not as close as it appears. Also, there are plenty of other (cheap and expensive) hamburger options.
There’s an elevated, electric tram between the Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and the Excalibur casinos. Get on the free Mandalay Bay Tram from the north east corner of the conference casino, past Starlight Tattoo and the House of Blues Restaurant & Bar. Information on other casino trams is available here.
Whether you’re walking or driving, always be aware of your surroundings. There’s a lot of activity and a lot of distractions. The traffic lights operate differently here than in other states. If I remember correctly, the green left turn light fires after the straight light turns red. Always cross the street in marked locations or use pedestrian bridges. Be especially careful if you stop at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada” sign. It is literally in the middle of a busy road. In 2008 they finally added 12 parking spaces which are accessible when heading away from the Strip.
Casinos
Mandalay Bay, our conference hotel, has table games and slots, 30 restaurants, a Starbucks, and loads of entertainment and nightlife options. It also features the Shark Reef Aquarium ($25 USD), a 1.6 million gallon wave pool with a quarter-mile-long lazy river (free for hotel guests, $20 for non-hotel guests Mon-Thurs), and shopping at Mandalay Place. If you’re in Vegas for additional non-conference days, I encourage you to venture out and explore the other casinos as well. Each one has a unique flavor and interesting things to see. I love the steam rising from manhole covers at New York New York, the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas, and the canals of Venice at the Venetian. It’s not as amazing the real thing, but it’s still fun to see.
Entertainment
Many casinos and hotels have both free and paid attractions and shows. The most popular free attraction is the water, music, and light show called “Fountains of Bellagio” at the Bellagio. See other free attractions here.
Paid shows are numerous. My favorite is Le Rêve, a water, fire, swimming, and acrobatics show. I saw it on my very first Vegas trip and have tickets to go again this year. You can’t go wrong with a production show like Le Rêve or a Cirque de Soleil show like “O“. They are also variety shows, magic shows, adult entertainment, comedy shows, concerts, and special interest performances like Zombie Burlesque!
Atlassian feeds you well on conference days, so you won’t have to worry about food. But on other days, there’s no shortage of options or cuisines for every budget.
For an “all you can eat” or variety experience, the legendary Vegas buffets are the place to be. My top three favorites are: Wicked Spoon at The Cosmopolitan, The Buffet at Wynn (especially their Friday and Saturday “seafood spectacular”), and Le Village Buffet at Paris. For similar food at a cheaper price, eat at lunch time instead.
This year, I’m excited to visit the Eataly Italian marketplace at MGM. Eataly is in 12 countries but the Vegas location just opened in Dec 2018. If there’s time, I hope to check try dining in the dark at Blackout. I also promised Chris Lutz he could get his uni (sea urchin) fix at Nobu at the Hard Rock.
The air is very dry in this part of the United States. Avoid dehydration by drinking more water than normal.
Money and Budget
It’s easy to exceed your budget if you don’t limit your expenses. The sales tax in Las Vegas is 8.25%, so don’t forget to factor that in. Also, don’t forget about the daily resort fee that’s added to your hotel cost. At Mandalay Bay, the daily fee is $37 plus tax. Gratituties add up too. Here’s a guide to tipping in Vegas.
TIPS
If you need a common health or travel item, there’s a Walgreens (drugstore & household products) and a CVS Pharmacy 1.4 miles (2k) from the conference hotel.
Convention center rooms are often cold. If you forget your jacket, buy an Atlassian hoodie at the Summit swag store, or head to Marshalls (clothes, accessories, and shoe store), 1.3 miles (2k) away. Marshalls and the drugstores are near MGM and prices will be lower than casino shops.
Keep track of receipts so it’s easy to enter your expenses when you return home.
On each purchase receipt, record how you paid (credit card, local currency, home currency) to make filing expense reimbursement reports easier.
Provide your credit and debit card companies with your travel dates so they know to expect away from home charges. Avoid a fraud alert or hold on your accounts.
I once had a debit card and a credit card, from two different banks, declined at the same shop. This was very inconvenient. Prevent it by taking action before your trip.
Legal vs Illegal
Las Vegas has a free-for-all reputation. But many things you may have heard are legal simply aren’t. I encourage you to do you own research and check out the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s website for official information.
Also, cameras are everywhere (even outside.) Don’t recreate the movie The Hangover!
Side Trips
Do you have extra time in Vegas? A few days under glittering casino lights may have you craving time outdoors. There are many neat places nearby to visit. You’ll need a rental car or to join one of the many tours that leave from Vegas. I recommend arranging tours online before you arrive.
I recommend:
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area A 13 mile scenic drive with stunning canyon views Cost: $15 per vehicle Distance from convention center: 21.5 miles Notes: The route has tolls
Valley of Fire State Park Bright red Aztec sandstone nestled in gray and tan limestone mountains Cost: $10 per vehicle Distance from convention center: 55.2 miles Notes: Your last chance to stock up on fuel and water is at the Moapa Paiute Travel Plaza at the corner of I-15 N and Valley of Fire Highway.
Hoover Dam A concrete arch-gravity dam in the on the border between NV and AZ Cost: $15 per person (tour) Distance from convention center: 37 miles
This year I’m taking a side trip to Death Valley National Park. I love the national parks and this is one I’ve always wanted to visit. Cost: $30 per vehicle Distance from convention center: Over 100 miles
Planning and Itinerary
Long Term RV Trip
I’ve been on an RV road trip since May 2015. I work from home, and “home” is wherever I park for the week, month, or quarter! By the time Summit begins, I’ll be in my 54th city. I track all my RV trip planning details in Confluence, but when there are flights involved, I track those trips in Tripit Pro. I like this service because it monitors flights, alerts me when gates change, turns confirmation emails into travel entries, has both a web and mobile version, and keeps me organized. There’s no wrong way to craft an itinerary, just make sure you have one, it works for you, and it’s easy to access when you need it.
TIP I store my trip packing list in Confluence. I print it out or check off items on my phone as they go into my travel bag.
Summit Mobile App
“Atlassian Events” Mobile App
I also plan conference specific activities with the Summit mobile app. Look for it listed as “Atlassian Events” in the Google Play or iOS store. Use the agenda feature to plan sessions and activities, the map to help you find your way to a Solution Partner’s booth, and the messaging feature to connect with fellow attendees.
Many of us are still tagging each other and chatting away in the app long after the event has ended.
Safety
My “do’s and don’ts” to increase safety while traveling are:
DO
Familiarize yourself with information about Las Vegas and the United States. I recommend the DK Eyewitness Travel Guides. See: Top 10 Las Vegas or Las Vegas (older but more in-depth)
Be aware of time zone changes. Las Vegas Time Zone: PDT (UTC/GMT -7)
Check the weather. The season may be opposite from home. The historical average temperature in April is a high of 76°F (24.4 C) high and a low of 53°F (11.6 C).
Leave your itinerary and emergency contact information with a team member and a friend or family member.
Purchase travel insurance to get reimbursed for charges related to missed or delayed flights, lost luggage, medical and emergency issues, etc. I buy insurance for all international trips and selected domestic trips.
In 2016, the date of Summit changed to the same week I was scheduled to be on vacation in Iceland. I canceled my vacation, got reimbursed for my expenses, and attended the conference. I’ve only had to use insurance once and I was sure glad to have it! Your credit card might include travel insurance. Mine once allowed me to cancel a flight at the last minute with no penalty.
Take all the same safety precautions you’d take in any large city environment.
Always walk with a friend or fellow conference attendee.
DON’T
Look like a tourist. Walking around with your head buried in a map (or a phone) advertises don’t know where you are.
Join large crowds, gatherings or demonstrations. Your presence can escalate into an international incident.
I once witnessed a demonstration in Buenos Aires. My travel companions wanted to move closer and see what it was about! Not smart. I talked them out of it.
Count money in public, wear valuables, or be an easy target.
Advertise your travel plans. It’s safer to post to social media after your trip.
Become a victim of theft, “mustard” scams, and other scams typical in major cities.
Scammers are everywhere tourists are. Beware of pick pockets, especially in busy areas where people are easily distracted. (Example: Fremont Street) Store your money in separate locations so if you lose some you don’t lose it all. Keep your passport locked in the the hotel safe. Finally, beware of people asking for financial help.
Last time I was in Vegas, a man followed me into the elevator and told me he just lost his wallet and needed my help. It was most certainly a scam.
Finally, don’t walk around town wearing your conference badge! It shows you’re a tourist and probably don’t know your surroundings. But remember to bring your badge to get into conference events, like Summit Bash.
For US Citizens
If you’re a frequent traveler, become a member of the TSA Pre Check program. If you’re a frequent international traveler, join the US Customs Global Entry program (which includes TSA Pre Check.) The convenience far outweighs the application process and cost. I’ve also heard you can shorten your wait in the Customs line using their (free) mobile app.
NOTE: Not every US airport has Pre Check. Further, the Pre Check line may be closed during non-peak hours. I learned both the hard way.
Have you filed your taxes yet? The deadline for submitting your 2018 income tax return is Monday, April 15, 2019. April 15 is also the last day to submit 2018 retirement contributions (IRA, Roth IRA, SEP, etc.) and the due date for paying Q1 2019 estimated taxes. I’m getting all this stuff out of the way before Summit!
For International Travelers
Read customs regulations, so you know what to expect when entering the United States and reentering your country. Read the US Customs and Border Protection’s “For International Visitors” pages.
Record the location of your nearest embassy or consulate. You may need to go there in an emergency or if you lose your passport.
Research credit and debit card international transaction fees. List any fees on your company expense report. They may be reimbursable.
Download and print OANDA’s “Traveler’s Cheatsheet”, a wallet-sized currency converter.
Exchange a small amount of cash at home before you leave and then at a local bank once you arrive. The worst exchange rate is at the airport.
Bring additional local and foreign cash for emergencies. Keep it in a separate location.
Bring original purchase receipts for expensive technology items. One country attempted to tax one of my team members for his (not new) laptop on his return trip home.
Bring a power adapter. The US uses “type A” (two flat parallel pins) and “type B” (two flat parallel pins and a round grounding pin) power plugs. The voltage is 120V and 60Hz. Read more
Passport
Thankfully I only have recommendations and no passport-specific horror stories to share.
TIPS
Research passport and visa requirements.
Make a color copy of your passport’s photo ID page. Store a digital copy in your email and on your phone or laptop. Bring a printed copy with you and store it in a different location than your physical passport. If your passport is lost or stolen, alternate copies are vital.
Leave your physical passport locked in a hotel safe. Don’t bring it sightseeing or to conference sessions.
If you lose your passport, report it to the nearest embassy or consulate.
Flight and Airport
Have you: Been stuck on a plane? Made an emergency landing in an unexpected city? Been trapped in an airport for an extended time? All have happened to me. Always plan for the worst and hope for the best.
TIPS
Never board a plane without water and a snack.
These came in handy while stuck on the tarmac in Costa Rica. Supplies on my grounded plane dwindled quickly.
Always bring a blanket. For long flights I bring a small pillow.
These provided welcome comfort on many cold flights and while I was stuck in South Carolina and Peru airports. I use a sleeping bag liner from ALPS Mountaineering. It’s warm, soft, and rolls up to fit in my backpack’s water bottle holder. I’ve used it as a blanket, sleeping bag, pillow, towel, and a makeshift changing room.
I’ve yet to discover the perfect travel pillow. This year I’m testing out the ComfoArray. The Nemo pillow I tried last trip is great for camping, but not for airplanes.
Always know what kind of airport you’re passing through.
I once took a flight from Brownsville International Airport in Texas. I thought “international” meant “large airport with lots of services”. I planned to check in early, get lunch, and maybe get a massage. Instead, I arrived at a one-gate airport where the security line didn’t open until just before the flight. There were no services or stores. There was a vending machine but I had no cash. I was 3 hours early for no reason. #fail
Luggage
I travel very light, bringing only the things I absolutely can’t live without. Consider what you packed on your last trip but didn’t use. Leave those items at home. Most things can be obtained or borrowed from a fellow conference attendee.
I truly believe there are only two types of luggage: carry on and lost!
My bag was lost after an 18 hour flight. When the airline finally found and delivered the bag, it was someone else’s! After that experience, I always carry my own luggage.
Have you ever seen a family lugging a cart of bags around the airport? How about someone with the entire set of nesting suitcases? Don’t be that traveler!
I used to bring a backpack and a small roller bag until I noticed my boyfriend only carried a backpack. Now I only bring one backpack and I make sure I can comfortably carry its weight. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars testing out suitcases and travel bags. The very best is my $60 USD High Sierra Access Backpack. I take it to every Summit and I’ll take it on a 200 mile walk I’m planning, on the Camino de Santiago, in Spain.
TIP Make a game of packing. Each trip, see how few items you can bring and how much weight you can reduce. I try for a total weight of ~20 pounds (9 kg), regardless of trip duration. On long hikes, I try to stay under 10% of my body weight.
Other reasons not to over pack: airlines charge for carry on luggage or heavy luggage, and you’ll want to be able to fit the new t-shirts you acquire at Summit!
Atlassian Summit Survival Guide
A small amount of planning and organization will help you get the most out of this super event. Read my survival tips for things to do before, during, and after Summit to make this your best conference experience ever!
As a Jira administrator you should choose your custom fields carefully. Too many fields are a headache to maintain. In our custom field series, we’ve shared our tips for battling custom field bloat, auditing your fields list, and reducing your field count. Now we’d like to share some custom fields we recommend that you do create.
In Keeping It Clean: Containing Jira Custom Field Growth we recommended sharing custom fields with different teams across the organization. These 7 fields are intended to be used by many teams in many Jira projects.
Recommended Custom Fields
1. Requested
Custom Field Types
Field type: Date Picker
Create a “Date Picker” type field and name it “Requested.” Place this field on a project’s “Create” screen and use it to answer the question “When would you like this request completed by?“
This field is different from the “Due Date” field, which signifies when the team can actually accommodate the request. The “Due Date” field should be populated after a request is reviewed for understanding and prioritized. In most cases, that field should not appear on the initial “Create” screen.
Requested vs Due Date Fields
Consider this scenario: The Legal team needs an update to the terms and conditions page on the company web site. They create an issue for the Development team with a requested date of March 15. The Development team receives and considers the request. Since it’s of “Medium” priority, they slide the change into their next release, which is March 22. These two fields have easily helped convey urgency and communicate ability.
Recommendation Always place the “Priority” field before a requested date field on a screen. Collecting the importance before a date is entered may help set realistic expectations.
2. Category
Field type: Select List (multiple choices)
The built-in “Components” field is a great way to categorize (and automatically assign) work. But what if you need a second categorization method? Create a “Select List (multiple choices)” field and name it “Category”. This generic name is important and ensures that the field can be used to cover many scenarios.
Custom Field Context
Custom Field Context
Next, use Jira’s “Contexts” feature to display different selection values in different projects. For example, the Legal team categorizes their work with selection values like: Contract, Service Agreement, Litigation, etc. The Security team categorizes their work with options like: Denial of Service, Information Disclosure, and Injection. Using a custom field context allows you to use one field to support many scenarios.
Recommendation Always add an “Other” selection to cover all potential non-listed responses.
3. Department
Field type: Select List (single choice)
Which department generates the most requests for your team? That’s useful information for reporting! Unfortunately, Jira doesn’t know information like a user’s department name, team name, manager’s name, or phone number. While it is possible to store these additional details in a user property, there’s no easy way to leverage that data without custom development.
Instead, create a “Select List (single choice)” field and name it “Department.” Create one selection value for each department in the company and ask the reporter to choose the appropriate one on the “Create” screen. Easy!
4. Team
Field type: Select List (single choice)
Same as above. Create a “Select List (single choice)” field and name it “Team.” You could also couple the concept of “Department” and “Team” in one field by using the “Select List (cascading)” type. First the user chooses a department and they choose their team from a sub-set of selections. Now you have an easy way to query who the work is for.
Select List (cascading) Field
5. URLs
Field type: Text Field (multi-line)
It’s common that Jira issues are related to data from other websites and applications within and outside the company. For example, the Development team may need links to vendor documentation for their integration project. The Facilities team may need a link to the purchasing policy Google Doc for large equipment orders. The HR team may need to link to an employee’s record in a third-party employee resource application. When external applications are integrated with Jira, linking is easy. But what do you do for all those other applications that aren’t connected?
Create a “Text Field (multi-line)” field and name it “URLs.” Users can enter an unlimited number of links to other online areas without the need for one custom field per URL. Jira will even make the URLs clickable on an issue’s “View” screen, as shown in the screenshot.
Text Field (multi-line) Field with Links
6. IDs
Field type: Text Field (single line)
Sometimes you need to associate Jira issues with records in other offline or inaccessible applications. For example, a purchase order number from desktop accounting software, an ID in a vendor’s system, or a serial number on a piece of equipment. Just like the URLs field above, individual custom fields are often overkill. Instead, create a “Text Field (single line)” field and name it “IDs.” Users can enter ID numbers as comma separated values.
Text Field (single line) Field with Identification Numbers
7. Notes
Field type: Text Field (multi-line)
Finally, sometimes users need to enter more information that doesn’t belong in the standard “Description” field. Create a “Text Field (multi-line)” field and name it “Notes.” This generally named field can be used in different ways in different projects. Use a Field Configuration scheme if you need to provide a project or issue-specific field description.
Now there’s no need for an “Information” custom text field, an “Instructions” field, or a “Business Justification” field. All those lovely details can go in a single field.
Recommendation If you’re not planning to query for or report on a piece of information, don’t devote a custom field to it.
Conclusion
Carefully planning your custom fields makes Jira administration easier. Creating generic fields for use by multiple teams is an easy way to support the needs of your users and limit the custom field count at the same time.
Which custom fields do you use across multiple projects? What strategies help you reduce the need for custom fields? Share your tips and tricks in the “Comment” section below.
