Checklist Extension for Azure DevOps

Add reusable checklists directly to Azure DevOps work items. Standardize recurring work with templates, apply multiple independent checklists to the same work item, and ensure checklists are completed before closing work items with built-in enforcement.

Available for Azure DevOps Services and Azure DevOps Server 2022 Update 2 or later.

Supported environments

• Azure DevOps Services.
• Azure DevOps Server 2022 Update 2 or later, which supports the REST API 7.2 calls used by the extension.

Azure DevOps Server 2020, 2022 RTW, and 2022 Update 1 are not supported. The extension might load and basic checklist editing might appear to work on these releases, but project and team selectors, team-based template filtering, and on-premises Premium license activation depend on newer APIs and are not reliable.

See Microsoft's Azure DevOps REST API and Server version mapping.

Why Teams Use It

• Keep important steps inside the work item instead of scattering them across extra tasks.
• Standardize repeatable processes with reusable templates for stories, bugs, tasks, and other work item types.
• Track completion and enable reporting and automation with Azure DevOps-native fields.

Key Features

Work item checklists

Add checklists directly to Azure DevOps work item forms so teams can track Definition of Done, testing, release steps, handoffs, and other operational work where it already happens.

Multiple checklists per work item

Apply several independent checklists to the same work item. Each checklist stays separate, with its own title, items, progress, and field mappings.

Templates that fit your process

Create reusable checklist templates, reorder items with drag and drop, and sort templates for easier management. Scope templates by work item type, project, and team so the right checklist appears in the right place.

Flexible checklist execution

Show completed items with strikethrough styling, add custom checklist items when a template allows it, skip items that do not apply, and reorder items on the work item when a Premium template allows it. The new order is saved with that work item. Completed checklists can auto-collapse, and the UI follows Azure DevOps light and dark themes with automatic resizing.

Field mapping, queries, and automation

Store checklist content in work item fields as markdown and optionally map progress and completion to your own Azure DevOps fields. Mapped fields appear on board cards and in work item lists, making checklist status visible at a glance.

Create rules that block work item state transitions until required checklists are complete.

Use mapped fields in queries, dashboards, and workflow automations to find work items based on checklist status.

Change history and reliable syncing

Checklist data lives with the work item, so Azure DevOps field history tracks changes over time. Progress and Complete update when the checklist changes. Opening a work item does not rewrite Progress. Complete updates on open only when the template option to set N/A is turned on.

Hosting and data

Checklist content and template configuration are stored in your own Azure DevOps environment. No data leaves your Azure DevOps organization. The extension works with Azure DevOps Services and supported Azure DevOps Server versions listed above.

What's New

October 13, 2026

• Progress and Complete stay unchanged when a work item opens - Opening a work item no longer rewrites Progress or Complete. Both still update when checklist items change. Complete is written on open only when the template option to set N/A is turned on.

October 2, 2026 (v1.7.0)

• Complete field for work items without a checklist - Turn on the template option to set Complete to N/A on work items that template does not apply to, so a process-wide rule that blocks Done when the field is empty does not block teams without a checklist. Leave the field without a default value. With that option on, opening a matching checklist clears Complete while any item is still open, and sets Yes when every item is checked, skipped, or the checklist has no items. Checking items still updates Complete when the option is off.

September 21, 2026 (v1.6.0)

• Reorder checklist items - Templates can let people drag items into a different order on the work item form. The order is saved with that checklist. Drag and drop in the template editor still sets the default order.

June 15, 2026 (v1.5.5)

• Fixes team scoping issue.

June 1, 2026 (v1.5.0)

• Minor updates and bug fixes.

April 3, 2026 (v1.4.5)

• Azure DevOps Server compatibility fix - Fixed issues where the checklist did not refresh when navigating between work items in query results.

March 28, 2026 (v1.4)

• Automation - Block work item state transitions until required checklists are complete.
• Progress and completion field mappings - Map checklist progress and completion to your own Azure DevOps fields, kept in sync when checklists change.
• Skip checklist items - Skip items where it makes sense for your workflow.
• Template sort order - Sort templates for quicker navigation in template management.

March 8, 2026 (v1.2)

• Project support - Scope checklist templates to specific projects.
• Team filtering - Filter checklist templates by team so work items load the most relevant checklists.
• Custom checklist items - Add custom items to checklists with improved markdown parsing.

August 24, 2025 (v1.1)

• Auto resize - Resize the checklist to fit its items.
• Checklist collapse - Collapse checklists that are 100% complete.
• Sort checklists - Sort checklists by name alphabetically.

June 11, 2025 (v1.0)

• Theme support - Full compatibility with Azure DevOps light and dark themes.

Links

Support

Questions, feature requests, or support requests: info@fjan.nl or contact us.