Guide
Two-way sync with Jira and Linear, done properly
A one-way export is easy. A two-way sync that people trust is hard: workflows differ, fields don't line up, and the first silent mismatch makes everyone stop believing the board. Here's what to check before you rely on one.
Updated October 10, 2026 · 6 min read · By the Align team
What should sync
| Field | Jira | Linear |
|---|---|---|
| Title, description, status, assignee, priority, due date | Yes | Yes |
| Epic | Epic (parent) | Project |
| Sub-tasks | Sub-task | Sub-issue |
| Sprint | Sprint | Cycle |
| Release | Fix version | Project milestone |
| Labels and estimates | Labels, story points | Labels, estimate |
| Comments | Yes | Yes |
The edge cases that break most syncs
- Workflows that won't jump from To Do straight to Done, or need a resolution on the way.
- A Blocked state that exists on one side and not the other.
- An assignee who doesn't exist in the other tool, or is removed.
- Long descriptions cut off and pushed back, so the original is lost.
- A ticket deleted on one side that the sync quietly brings back.
- Epics imported as ordinary tickets, and sub-tasks flattened.
- A failed update stored as "synced", so the mismatch never heals.
How to test a sync in 15 minutes
- Move a ticket to Done on each side and check the other.
- Unassign someone on each side.
- Flag a ticket as blocked.
- Paste a very long description.
- Delete a synced ticket on one side and edit it on the other.
- Move a ticket between projects.
- Check that anything the sync couldn't do is shown, not swallowed.
How Align does this for you
Align's Plans keeps a full two-way mirror with Jira and Linear: status (walking multi-step workflows), assignee, priority, due date, epics, sub-tasks, sprints and cycles, releases, labels, estimates and comments. Blocked uses Jira's Flagged marker or a Linear label when there's no Blocked status. Anything a tracker refuses is retried and shown on the ticket until it goes through, and tickets deleted in Plans stay deleted.
Frequently asked questions
Can Align change Jira sprints?
Align reads Jira sprints and keeps tickets in the right Plans sprint. Changing a Jira sprint from outside needs Jira Software access; without it, Align tells you on the ticket. Linear cycles sync both ways.
What happens if both sides change the same field?
The newer edit wins, and the change is recorded in the ticket's activity so you can see what happened.