# Jira Service Management SLAs

If your Jira Service Management space has SLA metrics such as **Time to first response** or **Time to resolution**, you can use those metrics on a BetterBoard board. Add each SLA to cards, filter work items by its state or duration, and use the same conditions to color cards.

BetterBoard reads the SLA values calculated by Jira. It does not change SLA goals, calendars, or cycles.

## Show an SLA on cards

1. Open your board and select **Display**.
2. In **Fields**, add the SLA metric you want to show to **Fields in view**. You can add more than one metric.
3. Arrange the fields in the order you want them to appear on cards, then select **Save** in the board toolbar.

Each selected metric appears as its own compact chip alongside your other card fields. Focus or hover over a chip to see the SLA name, its full state, and when the value was last updated. This is useful when a card shows several SLA metrics without their names next to every value.

An ongoing SLA chip shows time remaining or overdue. It can also indicate that the SLA is paused or outside working hours. A completed SLA that met its goal shows how much service-calendar time elapsed; a completed SLA that breached its goal shows **Breached**. BetterBoard distinguishes **Not started**, **Not applicable**, and **Unavailable** when it cannot show a duration.

> **Note**
>
> SLA values are snapshots from Jira, not a countdown that ticks on the card. Refresh the board for a newer value. Pauses and working calendars can affect the time remaining.

## Filter by an SLA

1. Select **Filter** in the board toolbar, then **Add filter**.
2. Choose the specific SLA metric, such as **Time to resolution**.
3. Choose one of the following operators. Enter a duration for **remaining** or **elapsed**; the state operators need no value.
4. Select **Save** in the board toolbar if you want to keep the filter with the board.

| Operator      | Work items it matches                                                                      |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **remaining** | Up to the entered time left on an ongoing SLA, including zero. Breached SLAs are excluded. |
| **elapsed**   | At least the entered amount of elapsed time on an ongoing SLA.                             |
| **breached**  | Jira reports the SLA's most recent cycle as breached. This can include a completed cycle.  |
| **running**   | Jira reports the SLA as running.                                                           |
| **paused**    | Jira reports the SLA as paused.                                                            |
| **completed** | Jira reports a completed SLA cycle.                                                        |

**Remaining** and **elapsed** only match ongoing SLA cycles. Once a cycle has concluded, it no longer matches either operator, even if its final duration meets the condition.

For example, choose **Time to resolution → remaining → 2h** to find work items with up to two hours left before a breach. Add **Time to first response → breached** to narrow the board to work items matching both conditions. As with other BetterBoard filters, multiple conditions are combined with AND.

The duration input accepts `10h 30m`, `10.5h`, `60m`, or `10:30`. Digits without a unit use hours-and-minutes format: `1000` becomes `10:00`, while `10` means 10 minutes. Type `10h` for ten hours. Enter non-negative durations in whole minutes. A valid value applies to the current view as you type; use the board's **Save** action to keep it.

> **Note**
>
> **Breached** describes the latest SLA cycle Jira reports. A completed breached cycle can match even though its clock has stopped. Use **remaining** when you want to see an unbreached time window.

## Highlight SLA work with card colors

Open **Display → Card colors**, add a **Single color** rule, and choose an SLA metric as its condition. The rule offers the same six SLA operators as board filters. For example, set **Time to resolution → breached** and apply a side line or background color to matching cards. You can use an SLA condition even when that metric is not displayed on the card.

To color the SLA chip itself, first add that metric to the card's display fields, then choose the **Chip** effect. See [Card colors](/betterboard/shape-the-board/card-colors/) for rule order and other effects.

## Availability and limits

- SLA metrics are read only. They cannot be used for board grouping, columns, or sorting by time remaining.
- Available metrics depend on your Jira Service Management setup and your access to the work items. A metric can apply to some spaces on a multi-space board and not others.
- If BetterBoard cannot read an SLA, it shows **Unavailable** instead of treating the value as empty. If the chip says the SLA needs recalculating, open the work item in Jira and select **Recalculate SLAs**.
- If BetterBoard asks for an app update to access Jira fields, ask a Jira administrator to complete that update. Your saved SLA fields and conditions remain in the board configuration while access is unavailable.

For general card setup, see [Display fields](/betterboard/shape-the-board/display-fields/). For all filter types, see [Filter operators](/betterboard/work-faster/filter-operators/).