In the context of SLA in Jira and the possibilities offered by SLA PowerBox, a wealth of information is available. Managing  SLA in Jira becomes more efficient with the application of appropriate tools and configurations. However, in this article, we will focus on the basics. We will introduce how to properly start using SLA PowerBox to effectively build a suitable SLA structure. We will cover the key elements necessary for correctly creating an SLA agreement. Starting with fundamental concepts like Goals, Behaviors, and Agreements, we will walk you through the steps to plan and create an effective SLA agreement that is flexible, easy to maintain, and perfectly tailored to your team’s needs.

An SLA (Service Level Agreement) is a key element in many IT service management processes. It defines the required response times for requests and sets the rules for monitoring, auditing, and reporting results. Properly building an agreement in SLA Powerbox requires consideration of several key elements: Goals, Behaviors, and Agreements, along with other configuration options. In this article, we will focus on the basic elements that will allow you to start building SLA agreements from scratch, leaving other aspects for later.

The first step is to go to the SLA PowerBox settings in the Jira system. The user can do this by selecting the appropriate option in the Jira administrative menu. Here, you can configure all the basic settings related to your SLA agreements.

It’s important to note that in SLA PowerBox, there are two main ways to start the configuration: you can begin by setting up SLA Goals or configuring Clock Behaviors in SLA. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on the first element – Goals, which form the foundation of every SLA agreement.

Goals are a module where the user manages the goals of their SLA agreements for requests. These are key parameters that define the required or expected response times for a request.
You can set the time within which each request must be resolved or at least acknowledged, allowing for the monitoring and control of process performance.

Goals in SLA PowerBox are highly flexible. Due to the modular structure of the plugin, you can create a generic goal and use it in various SLA agreements. Since a goal can be relatively general, it’s important to consider how to structure the conditions to ensure both the comprehensiveness of the SLA agreement and its maximum efficiency and ease of maintenance. For example, different rules based on JQL can be used to easily adapt goals to specific types of requests. You can pull completion times from predefined values or from times recorded in the request fields.

Goals in the SLA module (e.g., in PowerBox) take into account parameters such as working hours, business days, and other rules that impact how the response time for requests is calculated.
This allows the system to accurately adjust the SLA time to the specific work environment of the team or organization.

You define specific working hours for the team (e.g., from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM) and the days when SLA time counts (e.g., Monday through Friday). For requests that fall outside these hours, time is “paused” until working hours are active again. If the team operates in different time zones, the SLA module can account for these differences, which is especially useful for international companies. You can create different SLA goals based on the type of request, its priority, project, or other parameters.

Example: “Critical requests must be addressed within 2 hours during working hours.” You can also use data recorded in request fields, such as “priority” or “expected resolution time,” to dynamically set SLA goals.

After setting up SLA goals, it’s time to move on to the next key element – Behaviors. Behaviors are a module that allows you to define how the SLA clock will behave on a request—when it should pause, stop, or close. They will also work in conjunction with the calendar set for the goals.

Behaviors are highly flexible, allowing you to adjust the clock’s actions for different scenarios. In SLA PowerBox, there are two main types of behaviors:

• Status-based: This option defines how the clock will react to changes in the request status. The clock will pause or stop at certain statuses, such as “In Progress,” “Waiting for Customer,” etc.

• Event-based: This type is used when the clock needs to react to events that are not directly related to the request status, but rather to actions such as adding a comment, changing a field value, etc.

Behavior is crucial because it allows for precise definition of how the clock’s behavior should change throughout the lifecycle of the request. It should account for both standard cases (based on statuses) and more complex ones (e.g., based on specific events).

Once you set up the Goals and Behaviors, we move on to the final step – the SLA Agreement. This is where you combine all the elements you’ve previously configured. In this section, you create the complete SLA agreement for your project.

In the SLA Agreement section, you select the project, define the fields that will be linked to the SLA agreement (you can create them directly from this screen), and assign the appropriate Goals and Behaviors. Additionally, you can define other elements such as notification schemes. They will be sent when the SLA agreement is not met within the specified time.

Thanks to this central SLA configuration, you have full control over your SLA agreements. You can quickly make changes that will automatically apply throughout the entire system.

SLA PowerBox is a powerful tool that enables comprehensive SLA management in Jira. The key to effectively using this tool is a proper understanding of the basic elements, such as goals, behaviors, and agreements. With the flexible structure of the plugin and its modular breakdown, you can easily create and manage your SLA agreements. This approach helps you save time, minimize errors, and ensure high service quality within your team.

If you are just starting with SLA PowerBox, begin with goals and behaviors, then move on to creating your SLA agreements. Remember, this application allows you to customize every aspect to the specific needs of your project. To learn more about the capabilities of this add-on, visit the Atlassian Marketplace and explore its features.