30. 09. 2026 Valentina Da Rold Atlassian, Automation

Link Jira Issues Across Separate Atlassian Cloud Sites with Automation

Jira Automation can create native issue links inside one site, but the standard link action doesn’t cover issues stored on two separate Atlassian sites. You can work around this limitation by creating reciprocal application links and calling Jira’s remote issue link REST API. The reliable pattern uses one authenticated request for each direction, with a stable globalId for safe retries.

A distributed organization may operate separate Jira Cloud sites for different business units, customers, products, or regulatory boundaries. Teams still need to connect related work items, such as a platform defect in one site and a customer-specific implementation task in another.

The native Jira Automation action for linking issues works well when both issues belong to the same Jira site. It doesn’t provide a direct way to create a native link between two issues hosted on different sites. A URL pasted into a description or a generic web link gives users navigation, but it doesn’t provide the remote issue-link behavior and metadata that Jira expects.

The practical workaround is to use remote issue links through the REST API. This requires more setup than a native action, but it keeps the process inside Automation and avoids building a separate integration service for a small number of cross-site workflows.

Specific Use Case

Assume a company runs two Jira Cloud sites:

site1.atlassian.net, managed by the platform engineering team
site2.atlassian.net, managed by a product delivery team

A platform engineer creates ISSUE-1 on site1, while a product manager creates ISSUE-2 on site2. The teams want the two issues to appear as related work items on both sides.

These constraints are typical: The link should be created automatically, the two sites must retain separate administrators and permissions, the rule must be safe to retry, and the solution shouldn’t require a Marketplace app.

Constraints and Assumptions

The primary environment is Jira Cloud, and both sites are reachable over HTTPS
Jira administrators can configure application links, while the Automation actor can create remote links
Credentials use an approved secret or connection mechanism – never place an API token in the JSON body
Site1’s link to site2 has ID 123456; site2’s link to site1 has ID 789abc

Implemented Solution

First, connect the sites. In each Jira administration area, open Jira settings > Apps > Application links, create a link to the other site, and choose Direct application link. Configure both directions and verify the connection.

Next, configure Automation with Send web request. Call the remote-link endpoint on the site that owns the issue being updated:

POST https://site1.atlassian.net/rest/api/3/issue/ISSUE-1/remotelink

The body identifies Jira as the remote application, describes the relationship, and provides the remote issue’s title, summary, and URL. The globalId combines the application-link ID and remote issue ID. You should keep it stable so that retries update the same remote link instead of creating duplicates.

In this pattern, send a second request in the opposite direction:

POST https://site2.atlassian.net/rest/api/3/issue/ISSUE-2/remotelink

Treat the calls as separate operations: Log each response and retry only the failed direction. One successful response doesn’t prove that both issues display the link.

Implementation Plan and Examples

Create and verify the direct application link in both directions
Record each application-link ID, which you can copy from the edit URL or inspect remote-link metadata after a test link
Create an Automation rule with an issue, manual, or transition trigger
Populate the target key, ID, summary, and URL from the trigger, lookup actions, or variables
Add the first Send web request, enable wait for the response, then add the reverse request
Log status and response data without exposing credentials

Example payload for ISSUE-1 linking to ISSUE-2:

{
  "application": { "name": "Jira", "type": "com.atlassian.jira" },
  "relationship": "relates to",
  "object": {
    "summary": "{{issue.summary}}",
    "title": "ISSUE-2",
    "url": "https://site2.atlassian.net/browse/ISSUE-2"
  },
  "createReciprocalLink": true,
  "globalId": "appId=123456&issueId={{issue.id}}"
}

For the reverse request, call site2, use appId=789abc, and provide the details of ISSUE-1:

POST https://site2.atlassian.net/rest/api/3/issue/ISSUE-2/remotelink
globalId: appId=789abc&issueId={{issue-1.id}}

Replace relates to with a relationship such as blocks or is blocked by when appropriate. Keep the direction consistent.

Security, Permissions, and Compliance Considerations

Use a dedicated service account with only the required project and issue permissions
Store API tokens or OAuth credentials in the approved secret mechanism, and restrict who can edit the rule
Prefer OAuth 2.0 when enterprise policy prohibits personal tokens
Confirm outbound access and data-transfer rules for both sites
Send only the summary, key, and URL unless other fields are necessary
Audit rule changes, application-link changes, failures, and credential rotation

When native Jira Automation can’t link issues across separate sites, remote issue links provide a practical workaround.

References and Further Reading

These Solutions are Engineered by Humans

Did you find this article interesting? Are you an “under the hood” kind of person? We’re really big on automation and we’re always looking for people in a similar vein to fill roles like this one as well as other roles here at Würth IT Italy.

Valentina Da Rold

Hi, I'm Valentina and I'm a Frontend Developer at Wuerth IT Italy. I started out my career applying my Cryptography skills to coding, but really quickly fell in love with the web. I have been making websites and applications since 2012 and I still can't get enough of it. Along the way I found a passion for front-end development, and I use this passion to create interfaces that solve problems. When I'm not creating beautiful solutions, I enjoy cooking or doing sport, while listening to beautiful music.

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Valentina Da Rold

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