Documentation

Using Jira and GitHub for SR&ED Documentation: A Complete Guide

Software teams can use Jira and GitHub to build defensible SR&ED documentation. Learn how to structure tickets, write commits, and export evidence for CRA.

SREDY.IO · Editorial Team 2026-06-20 6 min read

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GitHub commits as evidence

GitHub commits are the most natural evidence for software SR&ED. They show the iterative development process, the rejected approaches, and the systematic refinement that characterizes qualifying work.

  • Write commit messages that explain the technical reasoning, not just what changed
  • Use experimental branches to show investigation of alternative approaches
  • Document failed attempts as clearly as successful ones — they show the systematic process
  • Include benchmark results or test outcomes in commit descriptions when relevant
  • Export commit history and branch diagrams for your evidence index

Jira tickets as evidence

Jira tickets can serve as structured evidence of systematic investigation when they capture the technical problem, the approach, and the results.

  • Tag tickets with SR&ED project names for easy filtering at year-end
  • Include the technical uncertainty in the ticket description
  • Document the investigation approach and expected outcomes
  • Record actual results, including failures and what was learned
  • Use time tracking to show effort allocation to qualifying work
The export advantage

Jira can export issue lists, time reports, and sprint histories. GitHub can export commit logs and pull request histories. These exports, combined with project summaries, provide strong documentary evidence for CRA.

Jira GitHub documentation software evidence

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Useful next steps

SR&ED eligibility checklist → Refund estimator → Sample T661 package → Documentation guide →

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