Atlassian Managed Services:
Complete Guide for Teams

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In today’s fast-paced digital work environment, development and operations teams face increasing pressure to deliver faster, with fewer errors, and at scale. As businesses grow, so does the complexity of their tooling environments. For teams using Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, and other Atlassian products, the need for consistent performance, security, and customizability becomes essential. This is where Atlassian Managed Services come into play.

This comprehensive guide explores what Atlassian Managed Services are, why they matter, and how they support everything from Jira Service Management and Jira Work Management, to Jira Software Project Management and advanced ITSM practices.

What Are Atlassian Managed Services?

Definition

Atlassian Managed Services refer to the expert-led support and administration of Atlassian tools by certified partners or internal DevOps teams. These services encompass a range of offerings including tool configuration, upgrades, user support, integration management, performance tuning, and security.

Scope of Services – Atlassian Managed Services

1. Jira Software Administration

We provide complete administrative support for Jira Software, ensuring your projects, boards, sprints, and configurations align with your business objectives. From setting up agile boards to managing custom issue types and fields, we handle every backend task so your teams can focus on delivery.

Key capabilities:

Project setup (Scrum, Kanban, hybrid)

Custom issue type schemes

Screen and field configuration

Release and version tracking

Project archiving and cleanup

2. Jira Service Management (JSM) Configuration

Our experts configure Jira Service Management to suit ITSM, HR, facilities, and customer support use cases. We implement service projects, request types, SLAs, queues, and approval workflows that enhance response times and service reliability.

Deliverables include:

Portal and knowledge base setup

SLA rules, escalation policies

ITIL process alignment (Incident, Change, Problem)

Request type customization

Automation of ticket routing and prioritization

3. Workflow Automation and Customization

We design and automate workflows tailored to your business logic using Jira’s native automation rules or tools like ScriptRunner and Automation for Jira. Our approach helps reduce manual tasks and ensures consistent process execution.

Services include:

State transition customization

Auto-assignments and notifications

Multi-step approvals and conditional logic

Post-functions and validators

Custom triggers and webhooks

4. User and Permission Management

Ensure the right access for the right users with our role-based permission configurations. We manage user provisioning, group policies, and access controls across projects and tools.

What we handle:

User onboarding/offboarding

Role mapping and group configurations

Global vs project-level permissions

Admin permissions audit and cleanup

5. Security & Compliance Management

We align your Atlassian environment with security standards and compliance requirements (ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, etc.) to mitigate risks and protect sensitive data.

Key areas covered:

Data access control policies

Audit trail setup and logging

Encryption and authentication enforcement

Role-based security policies

Compliance reporting

6. Performance Optimization

We monitor and fine-tune your Jira and Confluence instances to ensure fast load times, minimal downtime, and scalable configurations — especially for growing teams.

Performance services include:

Index health checks and reindexing

Custom field and scheme optimization

Cleanup of unused workflows, filters, and dashboards

Archiving old projects and tickets

Database and application tuning (for Data Center)

7. Marketplace App Integration

We help you select, install, and configure trusted apps from the Atlassian Marketplace to extend your instance’s capabilities, while ensuring compatibility and performance.

Typical integrations:

ScriptRunner, Insight/Assets, Xray, BigPicture, Tempo, Automation

App risk analysis and usage tracking

Licensing support and renewals

Custom integration via APIs/webhooks

8. Reporting & Dashboards

We build custom dashboards and reports to give real-time visibility into team performance, project progress, and SLA compliance using built-in tools and third-party apps.

We deliver:

Project health and sprint velocity reports

SLA and customer satisfaction dashboards (JSM)

Agile burndown/burnup reports

Executive and team-level dashboards

Custom JQL-based filters

9. Ongoing Support and Maintenance

We offer proactive support and long-term maintenance of your Atlassian tools, including patching, license management, user training, and continuous improvement.

Support scope includes:

L1–L3 admin and functional support

Backup and recovery management

Upgrade planning and testing

Regular health checks and usage reports

User enablement sessions and documentation

Why Choose Atlassian Managed Services?

1. Save Time and Resources

Managing complex Atlassian environments internally can drain valuable time from IT and development teams. By outsourcing to managed service providers, your team can focus on innovation, product development, and customer success, while certified experts take care of tool maintenance, upgrades, and support.

2. Expert Support & Governance

Atlassian partners and certified administrators have deep product expertise and experience across industries. They follow proven governance frameworks to manage workflows, permissions, and compliance. This leads to more reliable tool performance, fewer incidents, and better user adoption across teams.

3. Scalability

Whether you’re onboarding 10 users or 10,000, Atlassian Managed Services offer the flexibility and infrastructure needed to grow without performance issues or mismanagement. Managed providers ensure your Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket instances evolve in line with your business expansion.

4. Compliance & Security

Managed providers follow strict protocols to ensure your Atlassian environment complies with industry-specific regulations such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, and GDPR. They proactively manage user access, data protection, encryption, and audit trails, reducing risk and building trust with stakeholders.

5. Cost Efficiency

Maintaining an in-house team for tool administration can be expensive, especially when spread across multiple tools and projects. Atlassian Managed Services offer predictable pricing, reduce the need for on-site expertise, and prevent costly errors from misconfigurations or downtime. The result: lower total cost of ownership and higher ROI.**

Reduce the overhead of maintaining full-time tool admins or dealing with avoidable misconfigurations.

Jira Management – Central to Atlassian Services

Jira Software Management

Jira Software is the backbone of agile project tracking. Through Atlassian Managed Services, teams receive hands-on support in configuring and optimizing Scrum and Kanban boards, managing backlogs, setting up sprints, and establishing best practices for Agile delivery. Service providers ensure alignment between business goals and tool usage.

Key offerings include:

Custom project templates and workflows for different departments

Sprint planning configuration using story points or time estimates

Real-time Agile board setup with filters and swimlanes

Versioning and release management for better roadmap visibility

Jira Work Management

Jira Work Management provides a simplified interface for business teams such as HR, Marketing, and Finance. Managed Services help non-technical users set up intuitive workflows to manage tasks, approvals, and projects while maintaining compliance and visibility.

Key capabilities include:

Tailored workflows for HR (onboarding), Marketing (campaign planning), and Finance (invoice approvals)

Integrated approval steps and notifications

Workflow automation to reduce manual follow-up and task reassignment

Jira Service Management (Jira ITSM)

JSM is Atlassian’s ITSM solution built for DevOps speed. Managed Services ensure correct configuration of your service desks, SLAs, asset tracking, and integration with change and incident management systems.

Core service areas:

Multi-channel request intake and branded help centers

SLA tracking and breach notifications

Queue configuration for agents by priority, type, or custom rules

Asset and configuration management via Insight or Asset Management integrations

Key Metrics to Monitor:

To ensure your Jira instances deliver value, managed service providers continuously monitor:

SLA adherence rate: Tracks how well your support team meets its promises

Issue resolution time: Average time to resolve tickets, critical for customer satisfaction

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT): Based on feedback after issue closure

Agent workload distribution: Ensures support efficiency and prevents burnout

Key Features and Benefits of Jira ITSM

1. Unified Service Desk

Enable both internal teams and external customers to submit, track, and resolve issues through a centralized portal. With Jira ITSM, organizations can build branded help centers, use multiple request types, and connect knowledge bases to streamline ticket creation. This results in faster response times and higher customer satisfaction.

2. Automation at Scale

Reduce manual workload by leveraging Jira’s powerful automation engine. Automate ticket categorization, assignment, escalations, notifications, and SLAs. This boosts team productivity, eliminates errors, and ensures consistent execution of IT processes.

3. Knowledge-Centered Support

Integrate Jira Service Management with Confluence to offer a knowledge base that supports self-service. Customers can resolve common issues without agent interaction, which reduces ticket volume and improves resolution speed. Knowledge articles can be linked directly to tickets and continuously improved over time.

4. Incident, Problem, and Change Management

Jira ITSM supports ITIL-compliant workflows for managing the entire lifecycle of incidents, problems, and changes. Teams can assess root causes, initiate structured changes, gain approvals, and coordinate releases—all while maintaining traceability and auditability.

5. Real-Time Reporting

Use Jira’s built-in dashboards and third-party tools to visualize operational performance. Track SLA metrics, resolution trends, agent workloads, and customer satisfaction scores in real time. This helps teams monitor KPIs, identify bottlenecks, and make informed decisions for continuous improvement.

Common Use Cases Across Teams

For IT Teams:

Atlassian Managed Services help IT teams implement robust ITSM practices using Jira Service Management. From building intuitive service desks to managing incidents and assets, teams benefit from streamlined operations, faster resolution times, and better visibility.

Full ITSM implementation aligned with ITIL standards

Centralized asset and configuration management

Custom incident response workflows with SLA automation

For Software Development Teams:

Development teams rely on Jira Software and Bitbucket for Agile planning, CI/CD integration, and version control. Managed Services ensure tools are optimized for collaboration, performance, and secure deployments.

Integration of Jira with CI/CD tools like Jenkins, GitHub, or Bitbucket

Enhanced backlog grooming and sprint structuring

Custom release tracking dashboards and readiness workflows

For Business Teams:

Departments like Marketing, Sales, and Operations use Jira Work Management for tracking campaigns, approvals, and team tasks. Managed Services help configure user-friendly workflows, automate repetitive actions, and generate real-time status updates.

Visual task management and Kanban views

Cross-functional project collaboration with reporting

Automated notifications, escalations, and SLA reminders

For HR/Legal/Finance:

These teams benefit from Jira’s process-driven environment to manage sensitive operations with traceability and compliance.

Employee onboarding and offboarding process automation

Legal contract submission, review, and approval tracking

Finance request workflows with full audit trails and policy compliance

How Managed Services Improve Jira Governance

Governance Elements:

Naming conventions

Role-based access control

Archival policies

Marketplace app vetting

Benefits:

Reduce instance sprawl

Avoid permission errors

Improve auditability and change management

Integrations and Customizations

Typical Integrations:

Slack, MS Teams, Zoom

GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket

Microsoft 365, Google Workspace

Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot

Custom Development:

Jira Connect apps

REST API integrations

Custom scripts and post functions

Migrating to Atlassian Cloud – The Managed Way

Steps Involved:

Assessment & Planning

A thorough assessment of your existing Atlassian environment, including custom configurations, third-party apps, data volumes, and user base. A detailed migration plan is created, outlining risks, timelines, and stakeholders.

Clean-up & Standardization

Legacy data and unused projects, workflows, and custom fields are reviewed and cleaned up. Naming conventions and scheme standards are applied to ensure a clean migration footprint.

App and Data Migration

Core Jira, Confluence, and Bitbucket data, as well as Marketplace apps, are migrated to the Cloud. App compatibility is verified, and data integrity checks are conducted before and after migration.

User Training & Change Management

End-users, admins, and stakeholders are onboarded with role-specific training. Communication plans and feedback loops are implemented to ensure adoption and minimize resistance.

Post-Migration Optimization

Performance tuning, permission reviews, and app configurations are completed. Dashboards and reports are rebuilt for the Cloud environment, and ongoing support is initiated.

Benefits of Cloud Migration:

Lower Infrastructure Costs

Eliminate the need for on-premise servers, storage, and maintenance. Atlassian Cloud offers predictable pricing and no hidden IT costs.

High Availability and Performance

Atlassian Cloud provides built-in redundancy, fast load times, and global content delivery to keep your teams productive.

Auto-scaling and Built-in Security

The Cloud platform auto-scales to handle user load and includes enterprise-grade security, compliance certifications, and 99.9% uptime SLAs.

Choosing the Right Managed Service Partner

What to Look For:

Selecting the right Atlassian Managed Services partner is critical to long-term success. Look for certified providers with a strong reputation and a deep understanding of your industry.

Atlassian Solution Partner status: Verify that the partner is officially recognized by Atlassian with current certifications.

Cloud/ITSM/Agile specialization: Ensure the provider has experience with your specific tooling needs—whether migrating to cloud, implementing ITSM workflows, or scaling Agile practices.

Proven case studies: Request examples of similar engagements, including challenges addressed and measurable outcomes delivered.

Strong SLA & support model: Look for clear service level agreements with defined response times, escalation paths, and support tiers.

Questions to Ask:

What is your experience with organizations similar in size and complexity to ours?

How do you approach change management, system upgrades, and minimizing disruption?

Do you offer regular governance reviews and health checks for our Atlassian environment?

How do you ensure ongoing alignment with compliance and security standards?

Can you provide references or testimonials from clients with similar use cases?

Choosing the right partner ensures a smooth implementation, optimized performance, and a long-term roadmap that aligns with your growth goals.

Future-Proof Your Atlassian Ecosystem

Atlassian Managed Services are not just about outsourcing admin tasks. They’re a strategic enabler for agility, scale, and continuous improvement across your organization. From Jira Service Management to Jira Work Management and Jira Software Project Management, a managed services model ensures your tools evolve with your business.

By partnering with the right team, you can confidently adopt best practices, streamline operations, and focus on what matters most—building and delivering great products and services.

How MicroGenesis Can Help

Proven track record in delivering complex Atlassian implementations

Certified team across Jira Software, Service Management, and Cloud Migration

Industry-aligned best practices and customizable governance models

Flexible engagement models for long-term support and on-demand consulting

From initial audits and design to post-deployment optimization, MicroGenesis acts as your strategic partner in unlocking the full value of your Atlassian ecosystem.