Service users execute actions on behalf of the app. You can assign different service users to different app functionalities.
In principle, any Microsoft user with the required permissions can act as a service user. However, we strongly recommend using a dedicated account that is not tied to an individual, such as service@company.com. This ensures automations run reliably and remain unaffected by role or personnel changes.
With Microsoft 365 for Jira, you need a service user for:
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JSM project automations (Customer Chat and Incident chat)
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Jira project automation (Epic chat)
Why a service user
Reliable automation
Project automations (e.g. creating a customer or Epic chat) run automatically in the background. A service user ensures these actions happen without requiring a person to trigger or maintain them.
Independent of individuals
If actions are tied to personal accounts, they can break when people leave, change roles, or lose access. A service user keeps everything running, regardless of personnel changes.
Clean and consistent communication
Chats and posts are created by a neutral system identity, not a random user. This avoids confusion and keeps communication structured.
Controlled access
Service users only need the permissions required for their tasks, reducing risk compared to personal accounts.
Licensing and permissions
Service users require the appropriate Microsoft 365 licenses and permissions depending on the features you use.
Microsoft Bookings
To use the Bookings integration, the service user must have a Microsoft 365 license with access to Microsoft Bookings.
It also needs admin access to the selected Bookings page to make it available within the app.
Microsoft Teams
For Teams integrations (e.g. project automations that create chats), the service user must have a Microsoft Teams license.
Without it, the user cannot log in or interact in Teams.
Note on shared mailboxes
Shared mailboxes are not supported as service users, as they cannot be used to sign in to Microsoft 365 services like Teams or Bookings.
If you don’t have permission to sign in with the service user, you can still create it and send it to your Microsoft admin for authorization.
Service user x Microsoft Bookings
This feature is only available for JSM.
The Microsoft Bookings integration allows customers to schedule meetings with agents directly from Microsoft Teams.
To enable this feature, you need to configure a service user. The service user grants Microsoft 365 for Jira access to the selected Bookings pages and thus, requires admin access.
Only via the service user meetings can be independently scheduled and organized without personal credentials being involved.
🗓️ Learn more about our Microsoft Bookings feature for your JSM spaces.
Service user x Project automations
Via project automations Microsoft Teams chats for Jira (Epic Chat) and JSM (Customer and Incident Chat) can be created.
To enable this feature, a service user must be configured. This user initiates the chat on behalf of the app and serves as a neutral person handling the communication until the agent steps in.
Using a dedicated service user ensures chats are created reliably, with consistent permissions, and are not tied to an individual person. In this case, the service user requires a Microsoft Teams license.
🚀 Learn more about our JSM project automations
🚀 Learn more about our Jira project automations