BigPicture integrations: TFS, Jira(s), Trello, Marketplace plugins. BigPicture 8 contribution

BigPicture is evolving towards an “umbrella” portfolio management app. Hence it has to integrate more and more with popular issue trackers/task management software. BigPicture version 8 can source tasks from Azure DevOps Server (Microsoft TFS), as well as from many instances of Jira Cloud/Server and Trello. On the other side of the spectrum, even earlier versions of BigPicture could exchange information with Atlassian plugins, such as Tempo, Portfolio for Jira, and even ScriptRunner. Also note, that BigPicture has an API so that you can design your custom app-to-app bridge. Let’s discuss the current state and the future of BigPicture integrations.

 

BigPicture 8 ‘milestone’ integrations

BigPicture version 8 is a 2020 premiere, yet still under development and testing at the time of writing. Throughout the lifespan of BigPicture 8 (~2020-2022) we’re going to integrate the app with the following software:

 

Now, what do the software packages from the table have in common? They are not that great at delivering the big picture (panorama, progress) of projects, products, or programs an organization might have in the portfolio. Not to mention that team A could prefer TFS, while team B could love Trello, while team C could make heavy use of Jira. Here BigPicture steps in.

Known as a project management solution for Jira, BigPicture will evolve towards the ‘umbrella’ app in the coming years. BigPicture 8 can suck tasks from TFS, many instances of Jira Cloud/Server, as well as from Trello.

Example

Say, you’ve built a portfolio in BigPicture, with program A connected to a Jira instance, project B sourcing tasks from a Trello Kanban board, and a LeSS requirement area sucking issues from a TFS instance. This huge task collection of various origins can be managed with BigPicture’s Gantt charts, roadmaps, Scope views, Resource management modules, Risks, and Reports. With BigPicture 8, a CEO could potentially observe the single bar reporting on the progress of this portfolio of agile, hybrid, and waterfall projects, products, or programs.

Marketplace plugins

The following integrations were present in BigPicture 6 and 7 and will be retained in BigPicture 8 and later versions.

Tempo integration

Synchronize BigPicture’s Workload Plans, Holiday Plans, Teams, and Skills with their counterparts in Tempo Timesheets, Planner, and Budgets. You need BigPicture Enterprise Server/Data Center extension for that.

More in Docs

Portfolio for Jira

Use the sophisticated Gantt chart view available in BigPicture and BigGantt to manage tasks originating from Portfolio for Jira. BigPicture and BigGantt recognize:

• the hierarchy of tasks – the “Parent link” custom field of Portfolio
• the “Team” custom field of Portfolio

Read more

Custom fields of various plugins

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to add a traffic-light to BigPicture/BigGantt Gantt chart or Scope view? Or the Scripted field from the immensely popular ScriptRunner for Jira? Or ‘Calculated…’ and ‘Transition…’ families of fields from Jira Misc Custom Fields (JMCF) by Innovalog. BigPicture and BigGantt recognize custom fields from a bunch of popular and even quite niche add-ons that you could have gotten from Atlassian Marketplace.

Check this detailed report.

 

BigPicture API

The API lets you connect a custom bridge between your in-home app and BigPicture. As of now, it’s a private REST API, so it has its limitations. Still, many clients make use of it. It’s an opportunity for automation. If you are familiar with the select, update and insert, then give this quick tutorial on BigPicture API a try.

 

Widgets and Gadgets for Jira

Yet another form of integration. BigPicture can export its Overview (portfolio) view, Gantt chart view, and Risk matrix view to a Jira dashboard and Confluence Server/Data Center pages. Watch the video below.