Jira Workflows vs Automation – Which One Should You Use? (2026)

Jira Workflows vs Automation — Which one should you actually use? In this episode of All Things Atlassian, Björn Döhler (CO-CEO, re:solution) and Dave Wünsch (Partner Manager, Decadis) break down the key differences, when to use each, and how to combine both for scalable, future-proof Jira processes. Whether you're a Jira admin, power user, or Atlassian partner, this episode gives you practical rules of thumb to make smarter configuration decisions. In this episode, you'll learn: - What Jira workflows and Atlassian automation actually do - The pros and cons of each approach - When workflows are best for lifecycle control and compliance - When automation wins for cross-project actions, integrations, and notifications - How to combine workflows and automation together - What's new in the Jira workflow editor - How to avoid hitting Atlassian automation execution quotas Chapters: 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:49 Episode Topic Overview 02:25 What Is a Jira Workflow 03:17 New Workflow Editor Updates 06:48 What Is Jira Automation 07:46 Automation Features and Limits 11:16 Workflow Pros and Cons 16:36 Automation Pros and Cons 24:08 When to Use Which 30:23 Who Can Edit What 32:50 Final Takeaways About All Things Atlassian: A podcast by re:solution and friends, covering everything Jira, Confluence, and the Atlassian ecosystem — from admin tips to partner insights. This episode is sponsored by User Manager & License Optimizer for Jira & Confluence by re:solution - centralized user management, automated license cleanup, and up to 30% cost savings across your Atlassian Cloud. Try it free: https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1211109/user-management-and-license-optimizer-for-jira-confluence #Jira #JiraWorkflow #JiraAutomation #Atlassian #JiraAdmin #JiraTutorial #AtlassianAutomation #ProjectManagement