TFS Workitems : On the fields, their namespaces and in which workitem types they are used
By terje
At the moment there are five different popular process templates, three from Microsoft official, one on Codeplex (by some Microsoft guys afaik), and one from Conchango. The fields defined in the workitemtypes found in these templates belongs to a set of namespaces. The System namespace is a predefined Microsoft namespace, with special behavior. The other ones are in reality free text. However, since some effort has been placed on defining these namespaces, and some of these fields are used in several reports, in mappings to Microsoft Project etc., it is wise to adhere to these definitions. It will at least reduce the work you have to do if you're modifying them, or defining your own types. It is also wise to keep the fields named as equally as possible between types, and even processes, because it also simplifies querying across types. See http://teamfoundation.blogspot.com/2008/05/work-item-customization-tidbits-part-1.html for a great tutorial on how-to-do-it.
I have listed out the different namespaces, and linked the fields up to whatever workitem type is using them. I've only included the Microsoft'ish templates - the Conchango template only use the System namespace in addition to its own defined namespace fields.
The Process templates described are:
Microsoft CMMI 4.2 CMMI Download
Microsoft Agile 4.2 Agile Download
Microsoft eScrum 1.1 eScrum Download
Codeplex VSTS Scrum 2.1 VSTS Scrum Download
Even if a workitem type has the field defined, it doesn't mean it really uses the field, that is, fills it with useful information.
The different namespaces used in these processes are listed below, and their details below that again:
| Namespace | No of defined fields | Comment |
| System | 26 | These fields have special behavior. Even if they are not present in a WIT, they can still be filled with information which can be read from the API or a query. See details http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms194971.aspx. |
| Microsoft.VSTS.Common | 18 | Here they've packed in the most common fields, which is used across several processes and types. |
| Microsoft.VSTS.Build | 2 | Used by the build system. See details here |
| Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling | 7 | Used in Microsoft Project mappings. See f.e. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms364081.aspx and http://www.devx.com/dotnet/Article/30187/1954 |
| Microsoft.VSTS.Test | 3 | Used by the test system See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms194965.aspx |
| Microsoft.VSTS.CMMI | 40 | |
| Microsoft.eScrum.Common | 4 | |
| Microsoft.eScrum.Product | 2 | |
| Microsoft.eScrum.Sprint | 3 | |
| Microsoft.eScrum.Retrospective | 4 | |
| Microsoft.eTools.Bug | 18 | Probably a leftover from older days, guess it also should have been eScrum, not eTools |
| Microsoft.eScrum.Task | 2 | |
| Scrum | 4 |
System Namespace: (This is the only namespace which is also documented on MSDN)
| Used in CMMI | Used in Agile | Used in eScrum | Used in VSTS Scrum |
AreaId |
|
| Bug |
|
AreaPath | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PBI,PD,Bug,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
AssignedTo | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PBI,PD,SD,SR,Bug,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
AttachedFileCount |
|
| Bug |
|
AuthorizedAs |
|
| Bug |
|
ChangedBy | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PD,SD | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
ChangedDate | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PD,SD,Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
CreatedBy | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PD,SD,Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
CreatedDate | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PD,SD,Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
Description | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PBI,PD,SD,SR,Bug,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release |
ExternalLinkCount |
|
| Bug |
|
History | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | (PBI),PD,SD,SR,Bug,(Task) | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
HyperLinkCount |
|
| Bug |
|
Id | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PBI,PD,SD,SR,Bug,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
IterationId |
|
| Bug |
|
IterationPath | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | SD,SR,Bug,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
NodeName |
|
| Bug |
|
Reason | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
RelatedLinkCount |
|
| Bug |
|
Rev |
|
| Bug |
|
RevisedDate |
|
| Bug |
|
State | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PBI,PD,SD,SR,Bug,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
TeamProject |
|
| Bug |
|
TeamProject |
|
|
|
|
Title | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | PBI,Bug,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
WorkItemType |
|
| Bug |
|
For CMMI: CR = Change Request, QoS = QualityOfService requirement, Req = Requirement
For eScrum: PD = ProductDetails, SD = SprintDetails, SR = SprintRetrospective, Task = SprintTask, PBI = ProductBacklogItem
Microsoft.VSTS.Common namespace
Name | Used in CMMI | Used in Agile | Used in eScrum | Used in VSTS Scrum |
ActivatedBy | Risk,Review,Requirement,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
ActivatedDate | Risk,Review,Requirement,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
ClosedBy | Risk,Review,RRequirementeq,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
ClosedDate | Risk,Review,Requirement,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
Discipline | Task | Task |
| Backlog,UserStory |
Exit Criteria | Risk,Requirement,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Task |
| Backlog,UserStory,Release |
Issue | Risk,Requirement,Issue,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task |
| Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release |
IssueType |
|
| Bug |
|
Priority | Risk,Requirement,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Bug | Bug,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release |
QualityOfServiceType |
| QoS |
|
|
Rank | Risk,Requirement,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Release |
Regression |
|
| Bug |
|
ResolvedBy | Risk,Review,Requirement,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,QoS,Bug | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
ResolvedDate | Risk,Review,Requirement,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,QoS,Bug | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
ResolvedReason |
| Bug | Bug | Defect |
RoughOrderOfMagnitude | Scenario,QoS | |||
Severity | Risk,Bug,Task | Risk | Bug |
|
StateChangeDate | Risk,Review,Requirement,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
Triage | Requirement,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Bug | Bug | Defect,Impediment |
Microsoft.VSTS.Build namespace
Name | Used in CMMI : | Used in Agile : | Used in eScrum | Used in VSTS Scrum: |
FoundIn | Risk,Bug | Risk,Bug | Bug | Defect |
IntegrationBuild | Risk,Review,Req,Issue,CR,Bug,Task | Scenario,Risk,QoS,Bug,Task | Bug | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Impediment,Release,Review |
CR = Change Request, QoS = QualityOfService requirement, Req = Requirement
Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling namespace
Name | Used in CMMI | Used in Agile | Used in eScrum | Used in VSTS Scrum |
RemainingWork | Risk,Req,CR,Bug,Task | Task | Task | Backlog,UserStory,Release |
CompletedWork | Risk,Req,CR,Bug,Task | Task | Task | Backlog,UserStory,Release |
BaselineWork | Risk,Req,CR,Bug,Task | Task | PBI,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Release |
StartDate | Task | Scenario,QoS,Task |
| Backlog,UserStory,Release |
FinishDate | Task | Scenario,QoS,Task |
| Backlog,UserStory,Release |
TaskHierarchy | Task | Task | Task | Backlog,UserStory,Release |
Microsoft.VSTS.Test namespace
Name | Used in CMMI | Used in Agile | Used in eScrum types | Used in VSTS Scrum |
|
|
|
|
|
TestName | Bug,Task | Risk,Bug | Bug | Defect |
TestId | Bug,Task | Risk,Bug | Bug | Defect |
TestPath | Bug,Task | Risk,Bug | Bug | Defect |
Microsoft.VSTS.CMMI namespace (Not used in Agile or eScrum)
| Name | Used in CMMI | Used in VSTS Scrum |
ActualAttendee[1-8] | Review | |
Analysis | Issue | Impediment |
Blocked | Risk,Requirement,CR,Bug,Task | Backlog,UserStory,Defect,Release |
CalledBy | Review | Review |
CalledDate | Review | Review |
Comments | Review | Review |
Committed | Requirement | |
CorrectiveActionActualResolution | Issue | Impediment |
CorrectiveActionPlan | Issue | Impediment |
| Escalate | Issue | Impediment |
| Estimate | Risk,Requirement,CR,Bug,Task | |
| FoundInEnvironment | Bug | |
| HowFound | Bug | |
| ImpactAssessment | Requirement | |
| ImpactOnArchitecture | Change Request | |
| ImpactOnDevelopment | Change Request | |
| ImpactOnProjectPromise | Issue | Impediment |
| ImpactOnTechnicalPublications | Change Request | |
| ImpactOnTest | Change Request | |
| ImpactOnUserExperience | Change Request | |
| Justification | Change Request | |
| MeetingType | Review | Review |
| Minutes | Review | Review |
| MitigationPlan | Risk | |
| MitigationTriggers | Risk | |
| OptionalAttendee[1-8] | Review | |
| Probability | Risk | |
| ProposedFix | Bug | |
| Purpose | Review | Review |
| RequiredAttendee[1-8] | Review | |
| RequirementType | Requirement | |
| RequiresReview | Task | |
| RequiresTest | Task | |
| RootCause | Bug | |
| StepsToReproduce | Bug | |
| SubjectMatterExpert[1-3] | Requirement | |
| Symptom | Bug | |
| TargetResolveDate | Issue | Impediment |
| TaskType | Task | |
| UserAcceptanceTest | Requirement | UserStory |
And then some special namespaces which are only used by one process
Microsoft.eScrum.Common namespace
Name | Used in eScrum |
Category | ProductBacklogItem,SprintTask |
Order | ProductBacklogItem,SprintTask |
Goals | ProductBacklogItem,SprintDetails |
Source | ProductBacklogItem |
Microsoft.eScrum.Product namespace
Name | Used in eScrum |
MembersXml | ProductDetails |
BugDatabasesXml | ProductDetails |
Microsoft.eScrum.Sprint namespace
Name | Used in eScrum |
StartDate | SprintDetails |
EndDate | SprintDetails |
MembersXml |
|
Microsoft.eScrum.SprintRetrospective
Name | Used in eScrum |
Date | SprintRetrospective |
WhatWentWell | SprintRetrospective |
WhatDidNotGoWell | SprintRetrospective |
Improvements | SprintRetrospective |
Microsoft.eTools.Bug namespace
Name | Used in eScrum |
ReproSteps | Bug |
DevEstimate | Bug |
TestEstimate | Bug |
PMEstimate | Bug |
Environment | Bug |
Accessibility | Bug |
Source | Bug |
HowFound | Bug |
Market | Bug |
OSPlatform | Bug |
Browsers | Bug |
SourceID | Bug |
Cause | Bug |
Change | Bug |
KBNeeded | Bug |
Product | Bug |
Release | Bug |
Milestone | Bug |
Microsoft.eScrum.Task namespace
Name | Used in eScrum |
ProductBacklogItemId | Task |
Discovered | Task |
Scrum namespace
Name | Used in VSTS Scrum |
Complexity | Backlog,UserStory,Release |
Acceptance | UserStory |
Owner | UserStory |
BuildInstructions | Release |