How to Use Zapier to Choose Between Trello and Jira

Zapier can help you test, compare, and automate Trello and Jira so you can confidently choose the right project management tool without disrupting your team.

This how-to guide is based on the comparison in the original article on Trello vs. Jira, and walks you through setting up each tool, trying real workflows, and then connecting everything with automations.

Step 1: Clarify Your Project Needs Before Using Zapier

Before you connect anything with Zapier, define what you actually need from a work management system. Trello and Jira solve slightly different problems, and that matters for how you automate them.

Identify your work type

List the main kind of work your team does:

• General project management (marketing, ops, HR, client projects)
• Software development (sprints, releases, bugs, technical tasks)
• Hybrid work (business tasks plus engineering work)

This distinction will shape whether Trello, Jira, or a mix of both—linked with Zapier—is best.

Write down must-have features

Create a short list of deal-breakers. Common examples include:

• Visual task boards with lists and cards
• Detailed issue tracking with custom fields
• Sprint planning and backlog management
• Simple onboarding for non-technical teammates
• Automations and integrations via tools like Zapier

Keep this list nearby as you configure your workspaces and later build automations.

Step 2: Set Up Trello for a Real-World Test

Start by building a realistic project in Trello. You will later connect this board through Zapier to see how it fits into your wider workflow.

Create your Trello workspace and board

1. Sign up or log in to Trello.
2. Create a new workspace for your team or department.
3. Click Create and choose Board.
4. Name the board after a real project (for example, “Marketing Launch Q1”).

Design your board structure

Use lists to map stages in your workflow. A common structure is:

• Backlog
• To Do
• In Progress
• Review
• Done

Add cards for actual tasks your team is working on. Include:

• Titles that describe the work
• Checklists for subtasks
• Due dates and labels
• Attachments and comments

This realistic setup will help you judge later whether Trello, Jira, or a combination automated with Zapier supports your process better.

Step 3: Set Up Jira for an Equivalent Test

Now build a similar project in Jira so you can compare experiences feature by feature, then augment both with Zapier.

Create a Jira project

1. Log in to Jira (Cloud is easiest for most teams).
2. Select Create project.
3. Choose the template that best fits your work:
   • Scrum or Kanban for software development
   • Business or Work management templates for non-technical teams
4. Name the project to mirror your Trello board.

Configure issues and workflow

In your Jira project:

• Create issue types like Task, Story, Bug, or Epic.
• Set up statuses that roughly match your Trello lists.
• Add custom fields you actually need, such as priority or component.

Then enter the same or similar tasks you added to Trello. This makes it easier to later evaluate which tasks work better in which tool and where Zapier automations can reduce manual data entry.

Step 4: Decide When to Use Trello vs. Jira

With both environments ready, compare them based on practical usage and then combine them using Zapier where needed.

Use Trello when

• You need light, visual project tracking.
• Stakeholders are non-technical and prefer a simple interface.
• You collaborate across departments on campaigns, events, or client work.

Use Jira when

• You manage software development, sprints, and releases.
• You need detailed reporting, issue history, and technical workflows.
• You must link tasks to epics, versions, or repositories.

Many teams keep both: Trello for high-level coordination and Jira for engineering detail, then use Zapier as the automation layer that keeps everything in sync.

Step 5: Prepare to Connect Trello and Jira With Zapier

Once you understand how each tool fits your work, plan what should be automated via Zapier.

Map information that must stay in sync

Decide what should automatically move between Trello and Jira:

• New tasks created in Trello that should become Jira issues
• Bug reports or technical tasks in Jira that should appear on a Trello roadmap
• Status or label changes that need to be visible to both business and engineering teams

Write down the fields you want to sync, such as title, description, due date, and assignee. This list will guide your Zapier setup.

Step 6: Create Your First Trello–Jira Automation in Zapier

Now build a basic automation to avoid double entry. The principle is the same whether you start in Trello or Jira.

Connect your apps in Zapier

1. Sign up or log in to Zapier.
2. Click Create Zap.
3. Choose Trello as the trigger app and connect your Trello account.
4. Choose Jira as the action app and connect your Jira account.

Set up a simple one-way workflow

Example: Create a Jira issue from a new Trello card.

1. In Zapier, set the trigger event to New Card in a chosen Trello board and list.
2. Test the trigger to pull in a real sample card.
3. Set the action event in Jira to Create Issue.
4. Map Trello fields to Jira fields, for example:
   • Card name → Issue summary
   • Card description → Issue description
   • Labels → Components or labels in Jira
   • Due date → Due date field
5. Test the Zap and confirm the Jira issue is created as expected.
6. Turn the Zap on.

This simple automation already removes repetitive work and gives you a clearer sense of how Trello and Jira can coexist.

Step 7: Build Bi-Directional Visibility With Zapier

After your first workflow is stable, you can set up additional Zaps in Zapier to keep both tools aligned.

Create a Jira-to-Trello visibility flow

Set up another Zap that:

1. Uses New Issue (or issue updated) in Jira as the trigger.
2. Creates or updates a matching Trello card.
3. Maps important fields like status, priority, or assignee.

You will now have a high-level Trello overview of Jira issues, which reduces the need for stakeholders to learn Jira while still keeping the engineering team in their preferred tool.

Refine your Zapier automations

Use filters and conditions in Zapier to avoid noisy, unnecessary tasks, for example:

• Only sync Jira issues with a specific label, like “Customer-facing”.
• Only create Jira issues from Trello cards in a certain list, such as “Engineering Requests”.
• Stop syncing closed items if you only care about active work.

By refining your triggers and filters, you keep your Zapier workflows clean and maintainable.

Step 8: Review Performance and Adjust Your Setup

Run your Trello and Jira projects for a full sprint or cycle while Zapier automations are active. Then evaluate.

Questions to ask your team

• Where are people still copying data manually?
• Do any stakeholders feel overwhelmed by detail in Jira?
• Is Trello too light for some complex technical tasks?
• Which Zapier automations saved the most time?

Use this feedback to decide whether to lean more on Trello, more on Jira, or keep a balanced dual-system powered by Zapier.

Next Steps and Further Optimization

Once the core workflows are running smoothly, you can explore more advanced options, such as multi-step Zaps, approval flows, and connecting other apps (like chat, docs, or CRM) into the same system.

If you want expert help designing automations or improving your technical stack, you can explore consulting resources such as Consultevo, which covers automation and integration strategies for growing teams.

By combining the strengths of Trello and Jira and orchestrating them with carefully designed Zapier workflows, you can create a project management environment that matches how your team truly works, instead of forcing your team to adapt to fragmented tools.

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