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Migrate Checklists from Jira Data Center to Jira Cloud

Migrate Checklists from Jira Data Center to Jira Cloud

Moving to Jira Cloud? We’ve got you covered! Smart Checklist supports migration from Jira Data Center to Jira Cloud using the Jira Cloud Migration Assistant (JCMA)⭐️

Contents 👇🏼

Overview

Smart Checklist supports migration from Jira Data Center to Jira Cloud using the Jira Cloud Migration Assistant (JCMA).
You can migrate either directly to the Forge app or via the Cloud Connect app and later transition to Forge.

Both options are fully supported by our team.
If you’re unsure which path fits your environment, contact our support team or book a call for migration consultation.

The Smart Checklist Cloud app is hosted on Atlassian infrastructure and complies with enterprise-grade security standards, including Data Residency and SOC 2 certification.

💡HINT: Review Atlassian’s documentation for a complete overview of Jira Data Center → Cloud migration:

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Connect App Deprecation Notice

The Smart Checklist (Connect) version is scheduled for deprecation on April 20, 2026.

  • New Migrations: We strongly recommend using Option 1 (Direct Migration to Forge) for all new migration projects.

  • Existing Connect Users: If you choose to migrate via Connect (Option 2), you must complete the final upgrade to Forge before the deprecation date to ensure uninterrupted service.

Migration Options

Option 1: Direct Migration to Smart Checklist Forge

Option 2: Migration via Cloud Connect App

⚠️ Deprecated after April 20, 2026.

Option 1: Direct Migration to Smart Checklist Forge

Option 2: Migration via Cloud Connect App

⚠️ Deprecated after April 20, 2026.

  • Migrate your checklist data directly to the Forge app in a single step.

  • Recommended and most efficient approach for most customers.

  • ✅ Streamlined process with fewer steps

  • ✅ All data stays within Atlassian infrastructure

  • ✅ Fully tested and supported across various migration scenarios

  • ✅ Minimal post-migration actions required

 

  • Install the Smart Checklist (Connect) app in your Cloud environment.

  • Use JCMA to migrate your data from Data Center to Cloud.

  • After migration, transition from the Connect app to the Forge app.

  • ⚠️ Involves two migration steps (Connect → Forge)

  • ⚠️ Data is temporarily stored in the Cloud Connect database

Estimate Migration Data Size

Before starting the migration, open the Cloud Migration tab in the Smart Checklist app on your Data Center instance.
This tab displays:

  • Checklists count

  • Items count

  • Estimated data size (MB)

image-20251023-162231.png

These numbers help assess the size of migrated data. If you’d like our team to review the data volume or confirm the best migration option, share the results with Smart Checklist Support before proceeding.

☝️ Our Recommendation: We strongly recommend migrating directly to the Forge version of Smart Checklist. It is the most future-proof method, complies with the latest Atlassian security standards, and avoids the upcoming deprecation of the Connect framework. All new migration testing should be performed using the Forge version.

 

Direct Migration to Forge

Preconditions

  • Update the Smart Checklist app in Data Center ✅
    Ensure you’re using the latest Forge-compatible app version (currently 7.9.2 or later).

  • Install Smart Checklist in Cloud ✅
    Install the latest Smart Checklist (Forge) app from the Atlassian Marketplace in your Cloud environment.

  • Review the Migrated Data section

    • Only the Default Smart Checklist tab is migrated to Forge. Remove any additional tabs to avoid losing data.

    • Optionally unlink any linked templates if you want to keep existing checklist items on issues after migration.

Migration steps

  1. Run the migration with JCMA
    You can start with selected projects to test the migration and verify results before performing the full migration.

  2. Run data synchronization in Cloud
    After the migration completes, open the Smart Checklist app settings and synchronize data.
    This step ensures proper app functionality by synchronizing data across Forge storage, custom fields, and entity properties.

☝️NOTE: Read more about data synchronization here → Synchronize Data

  1. Verify migrated data
    After migration, review the issues with migrated checklist data in Cloud instance.

  2. Done! Migration completed ✅

 

Migration via Cloud Connect App

☝️NOTE: If you utilize this path, please plan your "Last step - move to Forge" (listed below) immediately after your data is verified. As the Connect version will be retired on April 20, 2026, delaying this final step may result in a loss of app functionality.

Preconditions

  • Update the Smart Checklist app in Data Center ✅
    Ensure you’re using the latest Connect-compatible app version (currently 7.9.1) for migration with JCMA.

  • Install Smart Checklist in Cloud ✅
    Install the Smart Checklist (Connect) version in your Cloud environment.

  • Review the Migrated Data section

    • Remove all Smart Checklist tabs from issue view (required to prevent migration from getting stuck).

    • Optionally unlink any linked templates if you want to keep existing checklist items on issues after migration.

Connect Installation Steps

Jira Cloud introduced a new admin interface, so the path to install a private Connect app may look slightly different. The installation method remains the same.

  1. Open https://admin.atlassian.com/

  2. Select your Cloud site → Apps → Atlassian apps

  3. At the top, click “Looking for your Marketplace and third-party apps?”
    (Alternatively: from your Jira instance, go to Administration → Marketplace apps → Take me there)

  4. On the Connected apps page, open the Settings tab.

  5. Enable Development mode.

  6. Click “Install a private app” (top-right corner), select Jira as a product to install the app on, and paste the following URL to the “App descriptor URL“ field:

    https://pro.jirachecklist.com/atlassian-connect.json

  7. Click Install app.

☝️NOTE: Do not click “Free trial” – that installs the Forge version.
The Connect app installs without a license, which is not required for JCMA migration.

⚠️ IMPORTANT:
If your Cloud site already has the Forge version installed, it must be fully uninstalled before installing the Connect version for migration.

☝️ When uninstalling the Forge app:

  • All data created within the Forge version will be permanently removed.

  • Uninstalling the Forge app requires contacting the Atlassian Support team to remove all traces of the Forge app.

Migration steps

  1. Run the migration with JCMA
    Start with a few projects to test the flow and verify results before running the full migration.

  2. Run data synchronization on Cloud

  • After the migration completes, open the Smart Checklist app settings and synchronize data.
    This step ensures proper app functionality by synchronizing data across Forge storage, custom fields, and entity properties.

☝️NOTE: Read more about data synchronization here → Synchronize Data

  1. Verify migrated data
    After synchronization, review issues with migrated checklist data on Cloud instance.

  2. Last step - move to Forge

  • Install Smart Checklist (Forge) directly from the Atlassian Marketplace to upgrade from the Connect version.

  • Once installed, the Forge app replaces the Connect app, starts a free trial, and automatically imports all data from the Connect into the Forge storage. The import duration depends on the total number of checklists in your Cloud site.

  • No additional synchronization is required after the upgrade.

  • Done! DC to Cloud Migration completed ✅

 

Migrated data

The migration transfers all core Smart Checklist data, including checklists in issues, checklist templates, and checklist statuses.
Other configuration data and app settings are not included in the migration and must be reconfigured manually on Cloud instance.

The table below outlines what data is migrated and which actions may be required after migration.

Data type

Migrated to Cloud

Notes / Action Required

Data type

Migrated to Cloud

Notes / Action Required

Checklist items

✅ Yes

Checklist content and basic formatting (headers, text styles, dates, assignees, links, and lists) are migrated.

Checklist history

❌ No

History is not migrated.

Checklist tabs

❌ No

Tabs are not migrated.
⚠️ Mandatory Action: Delete tabs and move existing checklist items to the default tab to keep the data.

Templates

✅ Yes

Global and Project templates are migrated.
Templates shared across multiple projects are split into separate Project Templates.
Disabled templates are also migrated.

Linked templates

⚠️ Partial

Template is migrated, but issue links and checklists within issues are not preserved.
Action: To retain checklist data in issues, convert linked templates to non-linked and keep the items in the issues.

Default template conditions

⚠️ Partial

Default issue types conditions are migrated.
Action: Review and reconfigure extended conditions (issue field values, issue transition) in Cloud.

Template categories

❌ No

Categories are not migrated.
Action: Recreate manually in Cloud.

Statuses

⚠️ Partial

✅ Global default and custom statuses are migrated.
⚠️ Project-specific statuses are not yet supported.
(If configured, they are imported as To Do or Done depending on status checkbox settings)

Action: You can temporarily convert project-level statuses to Global before migration and revert them afterward.

Automations & workflow validators

❌ No

Action: Reconfigure manually in Cloud.

Other app configurations

❌ No

Project-level settings (on/off per project), permissions, and notifications are not migrated.
Action: Reconfigure manually in Cloud.

Common Issues & Migration Tips

Smart Checklist supports two JCMA-compatible versions (Forge and Connect). Please check your Data Center app version carefully:

  • For migration to Forge: use version 7.9.2 (or later)

  • For migration via Connect app: use version 7.9.1

This error indicates a mismatch between the DC and Cloud app versions. Please verify version compatibility:

  • For migration to Forge: use version 7.9.2 (or later)

  • For migration via Connect app: use version 7.9.1

Your Cloud instance cannot contain both versions of Smart Checklist - Connect and Forge - as they replace each other. If the Forge version is already installed and you wish to install the Connect version, the Forge app must be removed.

☝️ When uninstalling the Forge version of the app remember:

  • All data created within the Forge app will be lost.

  • Uninstalling the Forge app requires contacting the Atlassian Support team to remove all traces of the Forge app.

When running migration via the Connect app, avoid reusing the same sandbox for multiple migration tests - this can lead to duplicated data.

Contact the Smart Checklist Support team to clean up the Connect database before starting a new migration.

JCMA may create duplicates of “Checklists” and “Smart Checklist Progress” custom fields, marked with “(migrated)”.

Once the migration and Synchronization are complete, you can safely remove any unused duplicates.

If the migration fails or some data appears incomplete, collect the logs and contact Smart Checklist Support for assistance.

Smart Checklist Migration Logs

  • Download directly: [instanceURL]/plugins/servlet/railsware/migrationlog

  • Or access via the Global Settings tab after the storage migration completes

JCMA CSV Export

  • JCMA also allows you to download CSV logs for the app migration step.

 

Smart Checklist Data Center vs Cloud comparison

Smart Checklist for Data Center and Cloud offer a largely equivalent feature set. You can explore more details using the links below.

🔗 USEFUL LINKS:

 

Cloud security and compliance standards

Smart Checklist Cloud meets the highest enterprize-grade security and compliance standards:

  • 🔒 Runs on Atlassian

    • Hosted on Atlassian

    • All data stored within Atlassian infrastructure

  • 🌍 Data Residency compliant

  • ✅ SOC II type certified

 

Migration from Other Checklist Apps

Want to migrate to Smart Checklist Cloud? Reach out to us for discount!

We also support migrating data from other checklist apps to Smart Checklist Cloud, including Checklists for Jira, Elements Checklist, and My Todo Checklist.

To migrate data from these apps:

  1. Migrate your data to Smart Checklist Data Center. Learn more here → Import checklists from Elements Checklist, My ToDo, Checklist for Jira | Enterprise

  2. Proceed with the migration to Smart Checklist Cloud.

💡HINT: Compare checklist apps’ features and security standards in this table → Marketplace Comparison

 

Support during migration

Our support team is here to assist you throughout the whole migration process – from sandbox testing to production migration!

⭐️ Help us improve the Cloud migration experience! Share feedback with our team.