Jira as a PSA tool and project management platform: REMIRA’s experience

Absolutely – Jira is particularly well-suited when a PSA solution has to meet complex requirements.
Whilst Jira is mostly known for its strengths as project management software, its adaptability to other solutions makes it the software of choice for many organisations. Particularly in organisations with complex project structures, Jira can be set up as a powerful enterprise PSA solution through configurations and extensions. 

Jira is not a traditional PSA tool ‘out of the box’, but rather a customisable platform that is particularly well-suited when:

• Projects are the key revenue driver, making multi-project and project portfolio management important
• Resource and workload management needs to be managed transparently
• Time tracking must take place directly within the project
• ERP-integrated project management is required
• Customisation for service project workflows is required rather than standard processes

Traditional PSA tools are usually off-the-shelf, turnkey solutions, whereas Atlassian takes a platform-based approach with Jira. The difference therefore lies in the system logic. 

Traditional PSA tools are largely standardised, turnkey solutions with predefined processes, such as for time tracking, resource planning, project controlling or invoicing. They offer rapid implementation but limited customisability.

Jira is a platform that allows:

• processes can be freely configured
• Workflows can be customised
• Jira-ERP integration can be carried out flexibly
• Agile and traditional working methods can be combined

Whilst traditional PSA tools are usually focused on billing, Jira, as a PSA tool, combines operational project management with financial control. As a PSA tool, Jira offers greater adaptability and more integration options – but also places higher demands on design and governance. This was given careful consideration in advance during the PSA project at Remira, which was based on Jira, and the consultants from Communardo provided advice on this aspect throughout the project. 

Jira and an ERP system are typically integrated via APIs or middleware solutions. In most cases, such data is synchronised:

• Project structures
• Time and activity tracking
• Cost centres
• Status information
• Data relevant to invoicing

In REMIRA’s ERP integration, the ERP (Oracle NetSuite) remains the leading financial system, whilst Jira acts as the operational project and PSA platform. This balance provides key factors for success. 

A well-planned Jira–ERP integration for service companies such as REMIRA reduces manual data transfers and increases transparency in project controlling.

Times, project structures and cost centres are automatically transferred to an ERP system via APIs or middleware. Extensions are also available for some enterprise resource planning systems. In REMIRA’s client project, a specialist partner integrated Oracle NetSuite with Jira. 

The initiative is likely to succeed if the introduction of Jira as a PSA tool is not viewed purely as an IT project, but if strategic decisions are also taken into account. This is because a PSA tool influences project organisation, resource management, cost-benefit analyses and reporting structures. If project management is already well established, decisions are easy to make. Otherwise, the project should be expanded to include the further development of the entire project management framework. 

Success factors from the project with REMIRA were:

• A clear list of requirements from REMIRA’s specialist departments, based on defined objectives
• Proof of concept by Communardo to ensure an open tool selection
• Clear processes formed the basis for the configurations 
• Early definition of the ERP architecture (clarification of roles)
• Training programme for internal key personnel

A key benefit of Jira as a project management tool lies in the interplay between operational transparency and financial control. When combined with an ERP integration, this results in ERP-linked project management, enabling project managers and the controlling function to work with consistent data.

With the appropriate configuration, Jira enables:

• Project controlling at ticket level
• Transparent capacity and workload analyses
• Budget and forecast tracking
• Early detection of variances
• Automated time tracking within the project context

This provides managers and C-level executives with greater margin transparency, well-founded forecasts and a robust basis for decision-making. 

It is not possible to estimate the duration of a Jira PSA implementation as a standard, as it depends heavily on the following factors:

• Scope of integration
• Organisational maturity
• Number of stakeholders
• Complexity of the ERP integration

As a guide, we can provide the following timeframes:

• Smaller set-ups without complex ERP integration: 3–4 months
• Medium-sized organisations with ERP integration: 6–9 months
• Enterprise environments with a multi-project and portfolio focus: 9–12 months

At REMIRA, the PSA project took 6 months from the technical project kick-off to go-live. All requirements were clarified in advance and the tools were critically assessed. As REMIRA does, we recommend developing the PSA platform iteratively. Following the implementation of the key core functionalities, REMIRA will introduce automations after go-live and a familiarisation phase for staff, and will subsequently implement portfolio management.