Checklist Templates For Jira [With Examples]

Yeah, I realize I might sound like a total nerd, but I love my checklists.

Checklists are one of the most effective tools for organizing work, tracking progress, and avoiding errors. Whether you’re onboarding a new team member, releasing a feature, or preparing for a sprint review, a checklist helps ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.

But here’s the catch: these workflows are often repetitive. Manually adding checklist items to every new Jira issue wastes time and increases the chance of missing steps.

That’s where Jira checklist templates come in. Using a Smart Checklist template, you can automate recurring tasks across your Jira projects and streamline how your team works in Jira Cloud or Data Center.

What’s a checklist template in Jira?

Every team deals with repeatable workflows: onboarding, sprint planning, QA reviews, release notes, security audits.

Instead of manually entering the same checklist items for each new task, you can create a reusable checklist template inside Jira using the Smart Checklist app. That way, every time a new Jira issue is created for a recurring process, your checklist items are automatically added with no extra work required.

For example, when you create an issue with the type “Onboarding,” you can attach a pre-built checklist covering hardware setup, access permissions, and intro sessions. Or, if you’re shipping a feature, your “Release” issue can come pre-filled with tasks for documentation, QA, stakeholder updates, and deployment.

It’s about improving your workflow, reducing human error, and helping your team members follow the same structured steps every time.

How to set up Jira templates with the Smart Checklist?

There are two primary ways you can create a checklist template with the Smart Checklist add-on:

1. Save an existing Jira work item (issue) checklist  as a template

• Create a fitting checklist using an input box or Full-Screen Editor available by clicking the “pen” icon.
• Then go to the Smart Checklist menu and click “Save as a Template”.

• Name your Template and click “Save”.

2. Create a new template from the Templates list on Jira work item view

• Navigate to your Jira work item 
• Open the Smart Checklist menu (click on 3-dot menu)

• Click the ‘manage templates’ button and create a template

• Fill in the details of your checklist template

Note

You can create a template from the templates popup in the Cloud version only. There’s an option to create a template from Smart Checklist global settings for the server/DC version.

Checklist template examples

We’ve selected a couple of checklist template examples. They serve as an illustration of what can be done with the Smart Checklist. We understand that every case is unique so feel free to modify and change them as you see fit. The full-screen Markdown editor makes this process much simpler. 

Definition of Done checklist template

Going by the definition (no pun intended), the definition of done (DoD) is a set of  agreed-upon criteria that should be met so that a piece of work is considered as done. Having a clearly defined set of requirements makes the DoD a perfect candidate for becoming a template.

Here’s an example of a DoD checklist you can copy and paste into your Jira work items. 

Acceptance criteria checklist template

The Acceptance Criteria is a set of clearly defined requirements your feature should meet in order to be accepted. You can configure the Acceptance Criteria to be applied to every “Story” work type. Quality Assurance specialists can use the Acceptance Criteria checklists as the initial information for the creation of detailed test scenarios.

The fact that the Smart Checklist supports the Markdown syntax formatting, makes it easier to create a suitable acceptance criteria checklist following the given-when-then formula. Here’s an example of it in action.

Onboarding checklist template

We use checklists in onboarding knowledge transferring tickets for new Railswarians. This way we can offer them insight and guidance on what’s expected of them during the trial period. A checklist is also a great place to guide users towards the knowledge they’ll need to learn throughout their onboarding. 

Content publishing checklist template

This checklist will be handy for the content marketing team in your organization. This simple flow will ensure that a content writer can create a piece of content that’s written with the intention of helping others regardless of them possessing or currently lacking a certain skill set. For example, a copywriter without coding experience can work in tandem with a developer to create a useful and actionable guide for a more tech-savvy audience.

SOC 2 Compliance Checklist Template (For Security & Ops Teams)

Achieving SOC 2 compliance is one of the most complex and high-stakes initiatives in modern B2B project management. It requires months of coordination, documentation, and alignment with strict auditor expectations. But it doesn’t have to be chaotic.

With the help of a structured Smart Template in Jira, your team can centralize every SOC 2 task, from scope definition to evidence collection, and apply it across multiple audits or entities. No more scattered docs, spreadsheets, or missed items.

Example Template: SOC 2 Action Plan 

# 1. Define Scope & Objectives

– Choose SOC 2 type: Type I or Type II

– Select applicable Trust Service Criteria

# 2. Form Compliance Team

– Assign roles: Compliance Lead, Security, HR, Legal

– Set reporting structure

# 3. Perform Gap Analysis

– Map existing controls to criteria

– Identify gaps and create remediation tasks

# 4. Develop Policies & Procedures

– InfoSec, Access Control, Incident Response, etc.

# 5. Build Asset Inventory & Risk Assessment

– Document systems, data, owners

– Perform threat modeling

# 6. Implement Access Controls

– Verify MFA, automate offboarding

# 7. Encrypt Data In-Transit & At-Rest

– Define encryption standards

– Link to vendor practices (e.g., AWS, GCP)

# 8. Establish Backup & Recovery

– Define backup frequency, test restores

# 9. Deploy Monitoring & Logging

– Centralize logs, assign reviewers

# 10. Change Management

– Track approvals, testing, deployments

# 11. Incident Response Prep

– Define response steps, run drills

# 12. Vendor Risk Management

– Review vendor SOC 2s, track reassessments

# 13. Train Staff

– Policy & security training

– Add onboarding checklist for new hires

# 14. Internal Audit & Readiness

– Self-audit and control testing

# 15. External Audit & Report

– Assign tasks for evidence, engagement, and delivery

# 16. Continuous Compliance

– Create recurring tasks for quarterly reviews

This checklist app template includes all the key phases and aligns with the SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria. You can attach detailed Smart Checklists inside each Jira issue, link policies in Confluence, and assign clear ownership using custom fields and dynamic variables.

Learn more & check the full template: SOC 2 Compliance Template for Jira

This humble assembly of checklists barely scratches the surface of what you can streamline and simplify with a cleverly put together set of context-rich Jira templates. I’ll make sure to keep this list updated with new checklist templates. Still, I’ll need a bit of your help. So, feel free to share your ideas in the comments section below. 

Automate Checklist template for JIRa

You can use Jira Automation to automatically add a specific checklist template when an issue of a certain issue type is created, like automatically attaching test cases to every new Bug. This removes manual work and ensures consistency across your Jira instance.

 Before you begin: Make sure the Smart Checklist add-on is installed in your Jira Cloud or Data Center project.

? Step-by-Step Setup

Step 1: Create a New Automation Rule

• Go to Project Settings ? Automation.
  
• Click Create rule.
  
• Choose the Trigger: Issue Created.
  

Step 2: Add a Condition (Filter by Issue Type)

• Click New Condition ? JQL Condition.
  

Enter your filter. Example:

Step 3: Add an Action to Insert a Checklist

• Select New Action ? Set entity property.
  
• Set the Entity type to: Issue
• Use this Property key: com.railsware.SmartChecklist.checklist

Step 4: Paste Your Checklist in Markdown Format
Here’s an example template for a bug issue:

# Bug Checklist

– Confirm the issue is reproducible

– Include environment details

– Add steps to reproduce

– Verify expected vs. actual behavior

– Link related Jira issues

Pro tip: You can include custom statuses, assign team members using @mention, or even set due dates within the checklist.

Step 5: Save and Enable the Rule

• Click Turn it on.
  
• That’s it! Your checklist will now appear automatically in every new issue matching your filter.
  

Why Automate Checklist Templates in Jira?

•  Save time on recurring tasks
  
•  Standardize issue reporting across teams
  
• Improve collaboration between QA, Dev, and PMs
  
• Track progress directly in the issue with a visual checklist progress bar
  
• Combine with custom fields, permissions, and notifications to match your team’s workflow
  

Start using Smart Checklist automation to simplify your Jira tasks, enforce project management standards, and streamline team collaboration.

Using checklist templates in Jira is one of the easiest ways to bring structure, clarity, and automation into your team’s workflow. Whether you’re handling onboarding, reporting bugs, managing feature releases, or planning for SOC 2 compliance, a reusable checklist helps your team stay focused, compliant, and consistent.

Thanks to the Smart Checklist app, you can build and save templates once, then apply them across your Jira Cloud or Data Center projects with no repetitive setup needed. Combined with Jira Automation, these templates let you streamline recurring tasks, reduce manual effort, and keep your project management process error-free.

From issue types to work items, everything is trackable and standardized inside your Jira issues.

FAQ

Q: What is a checklist template in Jira?
A: A checklist template is a reusable list of tasks (formatted in Markdown) that can be attached to Jira issues automatically or manually. You can use templates for onboarding, DoD, testing, publishing, audits, and more.

Q: Can you make checklists or checklist templates in Jira?
A: Jira does not have checklist or checklist templates functionality by default. You can download a checklist add-on like Smart Checklist for Jira from the Atlassian Marketplace to add this functionality to your Jira instance.

Q: How do I enable templates in Smart Checklist?
A: Jira Checklist templates are enabled by default in Smart Checklist. You can create a checklist and make it a template by clicking on the button with three dots.

Q: What can I automate with a checklist template?
A: You can automate any recurring process that requires the responsible person to follow a certain set of steps. Some of the most common use cases include checklist templates for Definition of Done, Acceptance Criteria, Onboarding, SEO, and financial reporting.

Q: Why do people typically use checklist templates?
A: Checklists help design clear, consistent, and actionable workflows in Jira. They encourage transparency and ownership. A checklist can help the team stay on target as the task is broken down and you can always see the assignees and how much work is left before a task can be considered completed.

Q: Does Smart Checklist support custom fields and permissions?
A: Yes. You can use Smart Checklist alongside custom fields, define visibility by project or team members, and control access via permissions in your Jira instance.

Q: Is this available on both Jira Cloud and Data Center?
A: Smart Checklist supports both Jira Cloud and Data Center editions. Note that some automation or global template functionality may differ slightly between platforms.

Q: Can I use checklists instead of subtasks?
A: Absolutely. Many teams prefer Smart Checklist over subtasks because it reduces visual clutter, supports mandatory items, and keeps everything in one issue. You can also view progress using the checklist completion bar.

Q: Where can I find more ready-to-use checklist templates?
A: Visit our Template Library  to explore use cases for onboarding, recruitment, compliance, delivery, bug reports, and more.

Q: Can I automatically add Jira checklist templates?
A: Yes, Smart Checklist is integrated with Script Runner, JMWE, and Automation for Jira. Our users can set up their automation in a way where a checklist is added based on the content of a work item and their workflow setup. You can read more about the matter in this checklist automation guide.

Add checklists to your Jira tasks

• Add and edit items
• Make recurring templates

Try it free

Article by Oleksandr Siryi