I have a project in Azure DevOps where there are multiple epics, each with features and tasks. Is there a way to assign the epic with all its features and tasks to me without having to go to each feature and to each task inside and assign them to me one by one?
You can do these things easily through the queries tab:
Make it a Tree of work items:
Set the top level work item type to Epic and the relationship to parent/child:
Save the query:
Switch to the results tab. Hit ctrl-a to select all the results. Use the ... and pick Assign to >:
Hit Save Items....
And as it turns out, you can do the same from the Backlogs tab. Make sure you select the Epics level, ctrl-a and basically follow the same steps (but you have to expand all the levels manually it seems):
Related
I have a azure boards project with simple flow.
We only use Epics / Issues, almost never work-items for sake of simplicity.
Can I customize the Sprint Taskboard (or create new board), so that it will show Issues in the state columns instead workitems?
You can customize the Product backlog Board to do exactly what you want. In which case you could completely ignore the "Sprints":
If needed add additional columns:
To end up with something like this:
You may create a child process based on Agile: Create and manage inherited processes and assign your project to it.
After that, you may assign Issue to any backlog level... as example:
open the task backlog level:
Add issue to the task level:
Use it in the sprint:
I have created a copy of the Scrum process for my DevOps project, and created specific work item types (based on the task) for my two project teams(Design and Build). I would like to tailor their specific Sprint taskboards to display only the work item type relevant for their team, which I hope would in turn allow me to tailor the required columns to only those relevant for their work item type.
Can you please advise if this is possible ?
We can customize the backlogs in the Process of the Organization Settings, and add the required work item types to the corresponding backlog level, but this applies to all teams, I am afraid that the work item type only displayed for a separate team is currently not supported.
We can remove states from columns in Column Options:
Update:
For example: If we want to remove the test2 column shown in the figure above, we need to map the state to test2 in the other columns:
Otherwise we will receive the following prompt:
When, in Azure Devops, opening the Boards > Backlog page there is no possibility to have an overview of all work items accross all of the teams.
You see "All backlogs", but they are divided into the teams.
I want to see an overview of all work items for all these teams.
Is this possible?
You can just create a simple query:
Then you can format it as a flat list or tree.
But keep in mind that the limit for query results is 20000 items.
I want to see an overview of all work items for all these teams.
You can't do that using any of the regular azure boards (kanban board and sprint board).
The only way (well, the only way known to me) to do that is with Queries (Boards -> Queries). To see work items across projects, remember to check the Query across projects checkbox.
At your disposal you have myriads of fields that you can use to filter your results as well. Use them to fine tune your query result if you want. Last but not least, use Column options to specify which columns to show in your result. Since you want work items across projects, you may want to be able to see which project an item belongs to without opening the item. To do that, include the column Area path from Column options dialog. I use the following columns, and sort by ID descending.
Finally save the query.
Now go to Dashboard, click the Edit button, and add the Query Results widget. Configure that widget to use the query you just created. Note that by default, the column Area Path is not included in the Selected columns list on the right, but you have to include it yourself from the Available columns list on the left. Move columns up/down as you see fit.
Click Done editing when you are done. Through that widget you can edit the work items by clicking on the Title of each work item, which will open the item in a modal. You cannot reorder items (I suppose to set priority) on this widget itself, but hey, setting priority is just a few clicks away, so not a big deal. If you like, you can sort the query result using Priority, and after updating priority you should click Refresh to see the updated result.
Hope that helps!
How do I add an existing work item to a the default board?
I can create work items under the Work Items section and I can also create work items by clicking + New Item in the Boards section.
But how can I add an existing item to that board?
I cannot find a setting, field, option anywhere to do that.
This is an organization Azure DevOps.
Your existing item needs to be "visible" to the board by existing in the appropriate iteration path and area path.
Without breaking out all the organization settings that allow you to detail this stuff, the easy way to know the value you need to use is to create a new item on the board you want, and use the values it gets in iteration path and area path on the existing item.
Illustrations:
Make sure your project has areas and iterations that make sense for you. Typically your project will start out with a root iteration path and three child iteration paths:
Iteration 1
Iteration 2
Iteration 3
Iteration paths are used to handle both backlogs and sprints for teams.
The combination of area path and iteration path allows admins to divide sections of the global backlog among the teams that are doing the work.
Think of the connection like a grid. If the rows are iteration paths, then the areas are the columns that divide that row (or vise versa). Multiple teams can operate on the same row (iteration/backlog), but they will only see the work items that also fall inside their assigned columns (areas).
When you create a team the area can be created for you, or you can assign an area to a team after it is created.
You can also change the backlog iteration for a team.
Now your team has a board and a backlog. Again, for your first team, this is done for you.
You have obviously already created some work items, so you'll need to move them into the right area and iteration to make them show up.
This can also be done in bulk from another team backlog
You can configure the board on what to be displayed.
By default, it's the Backlog items, so you will see the work items from your backlog (according to the sprints).
You can't just add a particular work item to the board.
See more details here.
I was looking on VSTS, but I didn't found how to estimate our Tasks/users story in hours instead of Story point.
Is this possible?
I know the pro(and cons) of story points, buf for now our team want to move progressively with agile, and we don't want to start to estimate in story points.
Thank you!
Edit as requested, I currently use the agile template(but open to change)
Declare "One story point is equal to one hour" and use the existing field as-is.
TL;DR
Use the built-in scrum template
If you use the built-in Scrum template Tasks have Remaining Work and PBI's have Effort. Nothing says Remaing Work = hours or Effort = story points.
If you want to estimate your tasks in number of 4 hour work blocks it will take to complete you can do that, if you want to do it in hours you can do that. Same goes for effort you can put any number in there you want as long as you make sure everyone in your team understands what 1 or 5 or 10 means.
So if possible switch to the scrum template, your question is exactly the reason why these fields have a more generic name than Story Points or Remaining Hours in the scrum template. Added bonus is that your team can switch definition if they feel like some other number or unit suits your estimation process better.
This blog post makes a good comparison between the built-in different templates:
https://nkdagility.com/choosing-a-process-template-for-your-team-project/
If you are an administrator in VSTS select the VSTS button at the top left of the screen. Then select then select the cog.
This will take you to a page where you can edit a number of settings. Select Process.
In the process window choose the process your project uses. You can see which one your project is using by the numbers on the right hand side of the process. Once you’ve found your process select it by clicking.
Then choose the work item type you wish to change. So in this instance user story.
Once in the task you want to change select add group and name the group want to add and select it's placement on the card.
When the group has been added select it and choose the ellipses (...). Then select Add Field. Customise the field to be either a new one of your choosing or choose a predefined one.
Once you have added this step repeat the process on this page to customise and style the task how you like. Once done navigate back to your project in VSTS and the changes will be applied