Share filter for a plan with permanent, read only link

[Thomas Menne]

Hi atlassian community,

I am currently facing a small issue with creation of sharable links for a specific filter.

Previously when applying a filter to a Plan and then using share --> copy link the generated link would be read only and always display the currently applied filter, regardless how the original plan was viewed (i.e. the link was permanent for the specific filter).

However when following the same steps now the link always displayed the last view of the plan and is no longer read only (i.e. as if one would navigate to the plan normally without the link).

Any ideas on how can I generate the filter specific read only links again?

Thanks in advance!

New sharelink format: site.net/jira/plans/5/scenarios/5/timeline?vid=21&atlOrigin=eyJ[...]

Old share link format: site.net/jira/plans/reports/fJcBH

[Thomas Menne · Accepted solution]

If anyone comes across this in the future, here’s the response I got from Atlassian support.

Tl;DR: With the switch to "smart" share links, it's no longer possible to replicate the previous functionality because share links can no longer be read only.

Issues with this
The suggested workaround is to create a view for the plan, adjust the plan-specific permissions through plan settings (which only admins can do), and then share the link to the view. However, this means that anyone with the link (regardless of permissions) can now modify the filters applied to the current view.

Please consider voting for this ticket to bring back the read-only plan links, thank you very much!

 JRACLOUD-93066 

Full support response:
With the new changes to the plans share feature (You can find more information about new features in the Atlassian Cloud changes blog: Share your plan using Smart links.), It is possible to share a read-only version of your plan by creating a new view for that particular share (i.e on Confluence).

Please allow me to elaborate on how we can achieve this:

Apply your filters on the Jira Plan, and create a new view
Give the new view a title, and save it
Select your newly created view from the dropdown
Finally, share it (i.e on Confluence).
The shared link will only reflect the filters on that particular view. Please let me know if you have further questions.

Changes to Sharing Links:
The development team has transitioned from "read-only" share links to a more integrated "smart links" approach. This decision was made after careful consideration of the functionality and security aspects of sharing within Jira Plans.

Reasons for the Change:

1. ) Enhanced Security and Permissions:

The former read-only links assumed users had no permissions, which could easily be circumvented. The new smart links respect existing Jira permissions, ensuring that access and interactivity are consistently governed by the permissions set within your Jira instance.

2. ) Improved Integration and Usability:

Smart links are being deployed across all main views within Jira Plans, similar to other Jira features like Boards and Backlogs. This ensures a uniform user experience across the platform.

3. ) Flexibility Without Compromise:

Although users with smart links can adjust filters and view settings, these changes remain personal and cannot be saved back to the shared view. This ensures that users can customize their view without altering the shared plan's configuration for others.

Comparison of Smart Links vs. Read-Only Links:

Interactivity: Smart links rely on Jira permissions, allowing users to interact with the plan based on their access level. In contrast, read-only links restricted everyone to a non-editable view, but these restrictions could be bypassed easily.

User Experience: With smart links, users can navigate the full scope of the shared content within Jira’s interface, whereas read-only links limited navigation and interaction to specific parts of the plan, hiding internal navigation options.

Location: Smart links are available across all of Jira, enhancing their utility and consistency across the platform, while read-only links were exclusive to Plans.

Conclusion:
The core of this update is to provide a more secure, versatile, and integrated sharing experience with smart links that align with Jira’s overall permissions framework. While read-only links offered a shortcut for certain use cases, the equivalent can be achieved through smart links by adjusting plan permissions, providing more robust and consistent access control.

We believe this approach enhances both security and user experience within Jira Plans. If you have further questions or need assistance adjusting to these changes, please feel free to reach out. We are here to support you as you adapt to these improvements.

[Rafal Bobkowski]

Such a great feature was removed. I noticed this yesterday.

Now, sharing plans with specific filters is basically impossible, so I need to ask every stakeholder to navigate through the filters themselves...

I hope that removing permanent read-only links was a mistake and they will bring them back as soon as possible because it just made my work a lot harder, sadly.