Salesforce Connected App Setup

Salesforce Connected App Setup

Before you can connect a Salesforce org to Jira, you need to create an External Client App in Salesforce and configure it for OAuth 2.0 Client Credentials flow. This is a one-time setup done by your Salesforce administrator.

The Client Credentials flow means no user needs to log in interactively — the connector authenticates as the External Client App itself using a client ID and client secret.

What You Need

  • Salesforce administrator access to your org
  • The ability to create External Client Apps in Salesforce Setup

Steps

  1. Open Salesforce Setup Log in to your Salesforce org and click the gear icon in the top-right corner → Setup.

  2. Navigate to External Client App Manager In the Quick Find search bar on the left, type App Manager. Under the App Manager folder in the results, click External Client App Manager.

    [Screenshot-7: Salesforce Setup App Manager listing]

  3. Create a new External Client App Click New External Client App in the top-right corner. Fill in:

    • External Client App Name — for example, Jira Connector
    • Contact Email — your email

  4. Enable OAuth settings Click the API (Enable OAuth Settings) dropdown and select Enable OAuth. A form appears below. Configure:

    • Callback URL — enter https://login.salesforce.com/services/oauth2/success
    • OAuth Scopes — add:
      • Manage user data via APIs (api)
      • Perform requests at any time (refresh_token, offline_access)

    [Screenshot-8: Connected App OAuth settings with scopes configured]

  5. Configure Flow Enablement and Security In the Flow Enablement section:

    • Check Enable Client Credential Flow

    In the Security section:

    • Uncheck Require Proof Key for Code Exchange (PKCE) extension for Supported Authorization Flows — this is enabled by default and must be disabled
    • Leave the following checked (default):
      • Require secret for Web Server Flow
      • Require secret for Refresh Token Flow

  6. Create the app Click Create in the bottom bar. The External Client App is now created.

  7. Enable Client Credentials Flow in Policies On the app page, click Edit. Go to the Policies tab and open OAuth Policies. Under OAuth Flows and External Client App Enhancements:

    • Check Enable Client Credentials Flow
    • Set Run As (Username) to a Salesforce user with the API access your integration needs (typically a dedicated integration user)
    • Click Save

  8. Retrieve your Client ID and Secret After saving, go to the Settings tab. Open OAuth Policies and click Consumer Key and Secret. A new page opens — verify your identity with your OTP when prompted. Your Client ID and Client Secret are now visible and ready to copy.

    [Screenshot-9: Consumer Key and Consumer Secret on the Connected App detail page]

  9. Note your Salesforce instance URL This is the URL of your Salesforce org — for example, https://mycompany.my.salesforce.com. You will enter this as the Login URL when creating a connection in Jira.

Next Steps

Once you have your Client ID, Client Secret, and Login URL, go to Creating Your First Connection.