Executive Summary
This guide is for IT and platform leaders who have already decided to bring in a partner and now need to pick the right one. It explains how to choose an Atlassian migration partner using six evaluation criteria, a reusable scoring rubric, RFP questions, and the red flags that tend to predict a difficult project.
Timing matters. Atlassian has set Data Center end of life for March 28, 2029, so many enterprises will run partner evaluations over the next two years. Starting early gives you room to compare firms on substance.
What to Look for: Six Atlassian Partner Selection Criteria
If you are deciding how to choose an Atlassian migration partner, these six Atlassian partner selection criteria cover what matters most to enterprise teams.
1. Partner Tier and Certifications
Start with the Atlassian Partner Directory, which lists each firm's program level, awards, and specializations. Platinum Solution Partner is the highest level in Atlassian's Solution Partner program. Atlassian also awards specializations in Cloud, ITSM, and Agile at Scale to partners that meet requirements in a specific solution area. Ask how many certified consultants will be assigned to your project specifically.
2. Migration Track Record
Request case studies that match your scale: user count, number of instances, Marketplace app footprint, and custom integrations. Moving one small Jira site and consolidating several Data Center instances during a divestiture are very different projects.
3. Governance Depth
A migration is the best moment to clean up permission schemes, custom fields, workflows, and app sprawl. Ask how the partner decides what moves, what gets retired, and who owns administration after cutover.
4. Industry Experience
Regulated industries bring data residency, audit, and access requirements that shape the migration plan. A partner with experience in your sector raises these issues during discovery, when they are easiest to address.
5. Delivery Model
Clarify who does the work, how senior they are, and how decisions reach your executives. Look for a named technical lead who stays through the project and a clear escalation path.
6. Support Continuity
Most users meet the new platform on cutover day. Confirm what hypercare includes, how long it lasts, and whether the partner offers managed services for ongoing administration.
A Scoring Rubric You Can Reuse
Score each partner from 1 to 5 on every criterion, multiply by the weight, and compare totals. Adjust the weights to your situation. A regulated enterprise might raise industry experience to 20% and lower another criterion to keep the total at 100%.
| Criterion | Weight | What a 5 looks like |
| Partner tier and certifications | 15% | Platinum Solution Partner with a Cloud specialization and certified consultants named in the proposal |
| Migration track record | 25% | Referenceable migrations at your scale and complexity |
| Governance depth | 20% | A documented approach to cleanup, app rationalization, and admin ownership |
| Industry experience | 15% | Delivered projects under your compliance requirements |
| Delivery model | 15% | Named senior lead, executive alignment, clear escalation |
| Support continuity | 10% | Defined hypercare plus a managed services option |
Questions to Ask in an Atlassian Partner RFP
Use these in a formal Atlassian partner RFP or a shorter evaluation call:
- Who will lead our project, and which Atlassian certifications do they hold?
- How do you handle Marketplace apps that have no cloud equivalent?
- How many test migrations do you run before cutover, and what do they validate?
- How do you address our data residency and access requirements?
- What happens in the first 90 days after go-live?
- How do our executive sponsors take part in key decisions?
Red Flags When You Evaluate Atlassian Consulting Firm Proposals
- A fixed price offered before any discovery work.
- Senior people who lead the sales process and then disappear after signature.
- No referenceable customers at your size or in your industry.
- Vague answers about app migration and testing.
- A plan that ends at cutover with no hypercare.
- Pressure to move everything as is, with no governance review.
How Praecipio Maps to Strong-Partner Criteria
| Criterion | Praecipio Evidence |
| Tier and certifications | Atlassian Platinum Solution Partner, an Atlassian partner since 2008 |
| Recognition | Multi-time Atlassian Partner of the Year, most recently for Service Solutions in 2025 |
| Specializations | Atlassian Specialized Partner in Cloud, ITSM, and Agile at Scale |
| Track record | Complex enterprise migrations, including 3E's post-divestiture move to Atlassian Cloud |
| Delivery model | Field CTOs who act as C-suite advisers inside technical engagements |
| Support continuity | Managed services for administration and optimization after go-live |
For a deeper look at how our team plans migrations, read our Atlassian Cloud Migration Webinar Q&A.
Talk to a Field CTO
If your team is working through how to choose an Atlassian migration partner, connect with a Praecipio Field CTO to pressure-test your plan and see how our approach scores against your rubric.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose an Atlassian migration partner?
Shortlist partners in the Atlassian Partner Directory that hold Platinum status and a Cloud specialization. Then score each one on track record, governance, industry experience, delivery model, and post-migration support using a weighted rubric.
What is an Atlassian Platinum Solution Partner?
It is the highest level in Atlassian's Solution Partner program. Atlassian lists each partner's level, awards, and specializations in its public Partner Directory, so buyers can verify claims before an evaluation.
When should we start evaluating partners?
As early as possible. Atlassian's timeline ends Data Center license sales ahead of the 2029 end-of-life date, and complex estates need time for discovery, testing, and change management.
Can we migrate without a partner?
You can, but it’s not recommended. Atlassian offers free self-service migration tools that work well for smaller, simpler instances. Partners like Praecipio become vital when complex instances, heavy app usage, custom integrations, or compliance requirements are in play. Figuring out how to navigate this series of one-time processes becomes onerous when your team isn’t doing it every day.
