I am trying to customize the available statuses for various work item types in my on premises Team Found Server 2018 installation. I cannot find any detailed instructions on how to do this. I have done this in other versions and it was very simple. Any information on how this can be accomplished would be greatly appreciated.
TFS 2018 uses XML process templates. Detailed information you find here: Customize a process template. Additionally, you can use Process Template Editor extension for Visual Studio that you can find here TFS Process Template Editor or through VS Extensions:
TFS Process Template Editor makes the edit process more easy. Here you can the video: Customize Team Foundation Server Process
You can open find the Process editor menu item and open a work item type from an existing team project:
Select it from the list:
You can find and edit the states of the work item on the Workflow page:
Add new states and transitions between them with toolbox:
Then just press the save button.
Related
I would like to do exactly what is being proposed in this question, but instead of VSTS, I'd like to do it in on a On-Premise TFS(2018):
"Is it possible to add a new Activity type on the Task work item in
VSTS and, if so, how can I do it? Thanks!"
I've followed the instructions explained here to export and modify my custom project template. However when I follow the instructions here(Step 5 of the original instructions) I get stuck at the "Configure Features" step, that does not appear in my implementation of TFS (Yes, my user account is part of "Project Collection Administrators"):
I'm sort of confused, there are people that claim this can't be done. In fact it's even stated in the process page:
"Changes you make to a process template will only apply to new team
projects. They will not affect existing team projects."
But the instructions clearly indicate that it can be, I just done see the "Configure features" link? The instructions indicate that the use case is after a TFS update, but if I just changed my custom template, how would I enable this, so I can implement my changes in the custom template?
Try below ways to achieve that:
Import, export, and manage work item types with witadmin
Export the specific work item type definition file (Task in your scenario). Run command prompt with administrator, if you are
using VS 2017, then cd C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual
Studio\2017\Enterprise\Common7\IDE\CommonExtensions\Microsoft\TeamFoundation\Team
Explorer
witadmin exportwitd /collection:http://server:8080/tfs/DefaultCollection /p:ProjectName
/f:C:\temp\MyTask.xml /n:Task
Edit the exported WIT definition file (xml) with text editor, add a new Activity Type (e.g.: TestActivity0727in below
sample)
like below:
Save the file and import to TFS with witadmin command:
witadmin importwitd /collection:http://server:8080/tfs/DefaultCollection /p:ProjectName
/f:C:\temp\MyTask.xml /n:Task
Refresh the page, now the new activity should be worked in Task
work item.
Edit with TFS Process Template Editor, reference below screenshot:
For VS 2017, install the extension TFS Process Template Editor
For VS 2015, just install Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation
Server 2015 Power Tools
I'm working on a project which will need to use some custom fields in TFS. I'm working on this using a TFS Express installed on my local machine.
But I could not figure out how to add custom fields to the TFS Express. The doc I could find is for VSTS.
Can we add custom fields in TFS Express? How?
Thanks
In short, you need to modify your process template XML. It's way too big a topic to go into in any detail here, so consult the documentation. What you're looking for is the "on-premises XML" model.
The basic step-by-step is:
Export your work item with witadmin
Modify the XML with your editor of choice
Import the work item with witadmin
Another option is to use the Process Template Editor plugin for Visual Studio.
However, please see my comment regarding your choice to install TFS Express over using VSTS. A workstation is not a realistic TFS environment.
How to access Fields of workitem like Type, Category, Found in Phase,reproducible, Found in build. I have created a workitem. But I get a error work item is not saved giving All the above mentioned fields are empty. few of those fields are read only. I am not able to write to it. Please someone can help me out soon.
Thanking you in advance
An easy way is installing TFS Power Tools, which provides a Process Template Editor.
Process Template Editor is a Visual Studio add-in, located under the Tools menu. The Process Template Editor provides a graphical user interface for customizing work items (field, workflow and the form) and process templates.
I need to let users register bugs similar to how it is done in Bug tracking systems.
I'd like to create user friendly form with a layout which will guide user. Standard Create New Workitem interface is too overloaded for users.
Today we manually look through inbox and register bugs in TFS ourselves. This is really a pain. Users often do not mark the message in subject as a bug. You need to read it to understand user has a problem. Sometimes you need to ask them about the criticality level and what the deadlines for fixing it are.
It is easy to miss important message and this process distracts from main activity.
(Based on you having Visual Studio and having already connected to TFS in there)
In Visual Studio, via the menu, choose Tools > Process Editor > Work Item Types > Open WIT from server
EDIT: You will need to install the Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server 2015 Power Tools Extension in Visual Studio to gain access to that menu option above
You will then be presented with a popup box. At this point you will need to navigate to the Project Collection you wish to make changes in. Once selected you will then be presented with a list of forms you can edit. e.g. Task, Bug, Code Review etc.
If you select Task you will then be taken to a form where you will have 3 tabs. Fields, Layout and workflow. From here you have a certain level of customisation available.
I found a couple of articles (below) around customising templates. One is for TFS 2015, the other is for TFS 2013.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudioalm/archive/2015/12/10/adding-a-custom-field-to-a-work-item.aspx (TFS 2015)
https://www.simple-talk.com/dotnet/visual-studio/customizing-team-foundation-server-2013/ (TFS 2013)
NOTE: Menu option Open WIT from server will make changes directly on the server. There are other option where you can make changes locally, then import those changes in. The above is just a way to get you to the screen to customise the forms so that you can take a look around.
I have a project in VS2013 online. It was setup with the default Process template (Scrum 2.0). I have a lot of source code with history but have nothing else, no workitems/backlog/tasks/stories/bugs etc.
I would like to change the template to the Agile template but cant see a way to do this.
Is this possible?
1) If you are using VSO then no.
Your only option would be to create a new Team Project. If it is a TFVC project you will be able to branch your source into the new project on the same instance.
2) If you are using Team Foundation Server then you can
Its very strait forward for your circumstance. I would however sugest that the Agile template is not right for you 😊:
Change Process Template
Template Choice
My recommendation is to keep the Scrum template but if you really want User Storys then rename PBI to user story. If your PM's want Original Estimate and Completed Work fields then add them. You are bot going to get far into agility if you are fighting against the tool...
P.s. Feel free to email me to discuss offline 😊
It is possible to change project template in visual studio team services when you are going between processes derived from same master template. E.g. I took Agile template and added few more states to features.
To change process templates in vsts:
Open process lists page (/_admin/_process)
Click ... next to process template you want to use to show popup menu
Select "Change team project to use "...