TFS 2015-2017 Assistance

Question

I am new to TFS and know the basic concepts. In my case we have customized TFS a lot which contains around 17 collections, custom fields in work items etc.

I have some queries for which I require some answers. The questions might be generic, but any help or suggestions on the below queries would be great.

Following are my queries:

1.) Show Work Item ID in a specific format. Can it be done

2.) Auto Fill custom fields for a work item based on a category / linked bugs (analogous to Relative Path column type)

3.) While raising a WI through Visual Studio development tool, the datepicker only takes date value and not time. The same work items when raised through web portal the datepicker gives time value as well.

4.) Auto Fill the efforts spent in Child Work items (summation of all child link items in the parent)

5.) Reminders to be sent if iteration / scrum set date crossed. Also check for Work Items as well, if set date is crossed.

6.) Create Queries which can query across all collections / verticals. Currently queries can be made only against each entire collection, but not across all collections. Do we have any mechanism to query against multiple collections?

7.) Email alerts customizations in TFS.

8.) Can the collections be merged into 1 default collection.

I have tried to find few answers from my end as well, and would like to know, if it is correct.

1.) Work Item ID cannot be shown in a specific format as it is system generated

2.) For Auto Filling of Work Item fields, it cannot be done. Manual approach is the only way (unless there is a way to pre-populate fields

3.) One can only query for all projects in a single collection. But it is not possible to query against multiple collections and get the results.

So require assistance on the above queries and also validate the answers I have got for few of my questions.

Any help or suggestions or relevant links would be great.

Thanks In Advance!!!..

Answer 1

Please kindly check below inputs

1. You are right. This is by designed. You can not change to use other format of work item.

2. Yes. This could not be done at present. It's still a user voice , but on the Roadmap. Support for calculated fields and roll-ups .

3. Sorry, not get your point.You could use the DateTimeControl type to give users a calendar picker to select a date for a DateTime field. By using this control, you can quickly select a date and time for the field. For details .
4. You could do this from a sprint backlog or task board. Details please take a look at our official tutorial here: Rollup of work and other fields

5. We do not have this kind of build-in time reminder for work items. However, as a workaround, There is a dashboard widget that uses @me in its query.

   You can also cobble something together using the REST API and a scheduled build . Calling a work item query and sending email is pretty easy from PowerShell.

6. No, they are using different database. You are only able to query across team projects int the same project collection.

7. It's able to do this but with a little bit complicated. For detail info, please take a look at this link: Customize TFS 2015 alert email

8. There is no default way to do this. I do not think there is a possibility of merging two TFS collections other than creating a new collection, creating the team projects and use a tool such as TFS integration tools to move the team projects from the source collections.

   As you can see, history will be rewritten with new dates, changeset and work items ids etc, if you are trying to merge collections.