How to View GitHub and Jira Tasks in One List Without Switching Apps: Centralize Everything with Foco Plus

If you manage projects across GitHub, Jira, or Asana for multiple clients or teams, you know how exhausting it is to jump between tabs to check what’s been assigned to you in each tool. The solution isn’t migrating data (a slow, error-prone process), but viewing GitHub and Jira tasks in one list without switching apps. With Foco Plus Connections, you can automatically pull issues, pull requests, and assigned tasks from these platforms and organize them alongside your other work—without duplicating effort or losing context.

Why Centralize Tasks from Multiple Apps in One Place

When you work with multiple tools, each has its own workflow: GitHub for code reviews, Jira for bugs, and Asana for team tasks. The problem isn’t the specialization of each app, but the fragmentation of information. Checking each platform separately leads to:

• Wasting time opening and closing tabs or mobile apps.
• Missing priorities because an urgent Jira task gets buried under others in Asana.
• Lacking a global view of your workload: How many pending tasks do you have today across all platforms?
• Manually repeating task statuses (e.g., marking a task as done in Foco and then in GitHub).

Productivity isn’t about doing more—it’s about reducing the mental effort you spend remembering where each task lives.

How Foco Plus Connections Work

Connections are native integrations in Foco Plus that automatically sync tasks assigned to you in external tools. Unlike migrating data, Foco doesn’t copy information—it creates a linked task that reflects the original state (issue, pull request, or task) and, if configured, can update the source when marked as done. This eliminates double work.

Supported Platforms and Data Pulled

• GitHub: Issues, pull requests, and code reviews where you’re mentioned or assigned.
• Jira: Issues assigned to you (supports classic and next-gen projects).
• Asana: Tasks assigned to you in projects or teams.
• Linear: Issues assigned to you (ideal for product teams).
• Notion: Pages and tasks where you’re mentioned or assigned.
• MCP Servers: Any MCP-compatible instance (e.g., self-hosted GitLab).

How Imported Tasks Are Organized

Each imported task is placed in a work container (a named, color-coded space you choose). You have two options:

• Fixed Work: All tasks from a connection go to the same work container (e.g., "Client X - GitHub").
• Automatic: Foco’s AI analyzes the task content and assigns it to the most relevant work container (useful if you manage multiple projects in one tool).

For example, if you configure GitHub to send tasks to the "Web Development" work container, every issue or pull request will appear there with the color you’ve assigned. In Panorama mode, you’ll see all your tasks (from GitHub, Jira, Asana, and other work containers) in one list, each with its color, letting you prioritize without losing context.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Connections in Foco Plus

1. Access the Connections Section

Open Foco on desktop or mobile, go to Settings > Connections, and select the platform you want to connect (e.g., GitHub). An OAuth authentication window will open—log in with your account for that tool and grant Foco permissions. These permissions are read-only (Foco can’t modify data in the source unless you enable the "Complete in origin" option).

2. Choose the Destination Work Container

When setting up the connection, Foco will ask you to choose a destination work container for the imported tasks. You can select an existing one (e.g., "Project Y - Jira") or create a new one. If you opt for Automatic, the AI will analyze the title and description of each task to assign it to the most suitable work container (e.g., a GitHub issue with the word "frontend" might go to the "Web Development" work container).

3. Configure Two-Way Sync (Optional)

Enable the "Complete in origin" option if you want tasks marked as done in Foco to also close or comment on the original tool. For example, if you mark a GitHub issue as done in Foco, the connection will add a comment in GitHub noting it was completed via Foco and close the issue. This avoids updating statuses in both apps.

4. Review and Adjust Imported Tasks

Imported tasks will appear in Foco’s Panorama mode with the color of their work container. From there, you can:

• Add due dates (when you’ll work on the task) or deadlines (final due date).
• Assign priorities (normal, important, urgent) or tags for later filtering.
• Attach notes (e.g., a reminder about the issue’s context).
• Use the Calendar view to see when you’ve blocked time for each task.

Practical Example: Centralizing Tasks for a Freelancer with 3 Clients

Imagine you’re a freelance developer working with three clients:

• Client A: Uses Asana for design tasks and Jira for bugs.
• Client B: Manages everything in GitHub (issues and pull requests).
• Client C: Sends tasks via email, which you convert into tasks using Foco Plus’s email capture.

With Foco Plus Connections, you set up:

• Client A’s Asana and Jira → "Client A - Development" work container (blue).
• Client B’s GitHub → "Client B - Repository" work container (green).
• Email capture → "Client C - Requests" work container (red).

In Panorama mode, you’ll see all tasks mixed together, each with its color. If today you have a 2-hour block to work on Client B, you enter the Focus mode for that work container and only see GitHub tasks. This keeps you from distractions and lets you focus on what’s next.

Foco vs. Asana: Why Foco Wins for Managing Multiple Jobs

Asana is a powerful tool for teams, but it has key limitations for freelancers or professionals managing multiple jobs at once (clients, personal projects, etc.):

• User limit in the free plan: Asana Personal only allows 2 users, forcing you to pay even if you work alone (the Starter plan costs $10.99/user/month with annual billing and requires a minimum of 2 seats). Foco, on the other hand, has a permanent Free plan with unlimited work containers and tasks, and its most basic paid plan (4 EUR/month) includes collaboration without user limits.
• Single-project focus: Asana is optimized for managing one project or team at a time. Foco, however, is designed for multiple jobs in parallel, with color-coded work containers and view modes that let you switch between a global overview and focusing on one job.
• Limited integrations in lower-tier plans: Automations and connections with tools like GitHub or Jira require Asana’s Starter plan ($10.99/month). In Foco Plus (20 EUR/month), Connections are included from day one, with no surprises.

That said, Asana is a better option if you work in a large team with advanced needs (portfolios, task dependencies, or complex automations). But if your priority is centralizing tasks from multiple apps without migrating data and maintaining control over multiple jobs, Foco offers a more agile and cost-effective solution.

Tips to Get the Most Out of Connections

• Use tags for filtering: Add tags like "bug," "feature," or "review" to imported tasks to group them later in the List or Kanban view.
• Leverage the Calendar view: Assign due dates to GitHub or Jira tasks to see when you’ve blocked time for each. This helps avoid overloading your schedule.
• Combine with voice capture: If you receive a task via call or meeting, use voice capture to dictate it and attach the audio as a note. Foco will transcribe the text and automatically detect dates or priorities.
• Review the daily briefing: If you have Foco Plus, the daily briefing will summarize which GitHub, Jira, or Asana tasks are due today, along with your other commitments. This ensures nothing slips through the cracks.

If you want to dive deeper into organizing tasks with time blocks, check out our guide on time boxing for managing multiple clients.

Conclusion: Fewer Switches, More Focus

The key to managing multiple jobs isn’t using more tools—it’s reducing friction between them. With Foco Plus Connections, you can view GitHub and Jira tasks in one list without switching apps, saving time and avoiding errors from duplicating information. It’s not about replacing GitHub or Jira, but working with them smarter: centralizing what you need to see, when you need to see it.

FAQ

Can I edit tasks imported from GitHub or Jira in Foco?

Yes, you can edit the title, add dates, priorities, tags, or notes. However, changes won’t sync back to the original tool (e.g., GitHub) unless you enable the "Complete in origin" option.

What happens if I delete a task in Foco that came from a connection?

The task is deleted only in Foco. In the original tool (GitHub, Jira, etc.), it remains intact unless you’ve enabled two-way sync (in which case, it will be closed or commented on in the source).

Do Connections work in real time?

Foco checks for updates every 15 minutes. If you need to force a manual sync, you can do so from the Connections section in Settings.

Can I connect a custom MCP server, like self-hosted GitLab?

Yes, Foco supports any MCP server via its URL. Just enter the server address and authenticate with your credentials.

Does Foco’s Free plan allow using Connections?

No. Connections are part of Foco Plus’s Copilot (20 EUR/month). The Free plan includes unlimited work containers and tasks but no integrations with external tools.