Stop Manual Linking: GitLab – Azure Boards Integrator Made Simple

Introduction

Many development teams use GitLab for source code management and CI/CD, while relying on Azure DevOps Boards to track requirements, bugs, and user stories. Although both tools are powerful, they work as separate systems, often leaving teams with broken or incomplete traceability.

GLAB Integrator solves this problem by providing a fully managed integration service. As an end user, you simply consume a secure API endpoint—no setup, no configuration. We take care of everything behind the scenes.

The Problem

Usual challenges include:

• GitLab and Azure DevOps are not natively connected
• Manual linking of commits and merge requests in Azure Boards work items
• Inconsistent linking practices across teams
• Poor visibility during audits and reviews

Here, teams want automation.

The Solution: GitLab Azure Boards Integrator (GLAB)

GLAB Integrator automatically connects GitLab activities to Azure DevOps work items via webhook events. Users can reference Azure DevOps work items using case-sensitive format GLAB#NNNN (where NNNN is your work item ID) in GitLab, and we create bidirectional, clickable hyperlinks instantly.

What you do as a user:

1. Configure a single webhook in your GitLab project by selecting events with required headers and personal access tokens
2. Reference work items using keyword GLAB#NNNN in the content:
   • Commit message
   • Merge Request (Title & Description)
   • Comments on Merge Request and Commits

That's it. No configuration files and no ongoing maintenance on your side.

What We Manage for You:

• Secure webhook request validation
• Event filtering and processing
• Bi-directional linking
• Duplicate link prevention

Supported GitLab Activities

You get automatic linking for:

• Merge Requests: Create and Update
  • Work items mentioned in titles or descriptions
• Push
  • Work items referenced during code commits
• Comments
  • Work items mentioned in merge request or commit discussions

See It In Action

GitLab to Azure Boards

When you reference a work item in GitLab using GLAB#NNNN, it automatically becomes a clickable link:

Azure Boards to GitLab

The Azure Boards work item is automatically updated with hyperlinks to the related GitLab activities:

How It Works

1. You mention an Azure DevOps work item in GitLab content with the GLAB#NNNN keyword
   Example: GLAB#4567

2. GitLab triggers a webhook

3. We process instantly:

   • Extract ID 4567
   • Validate work item exists in your Azure org
   • Check for duplicates

4. Results appear immediately:

   • Azure Boards: New hyperlink in work item 4567, with the respective activity URL such as commit URL or the merge request URL
   • GitLab: GLAB#4567 becomes a clickable link to the work item on the same content
   • All linking happens automatically and consistently

Key Benefits

✅ Full Traceability: Instantly see code changes linked to requirements and vice versa – perfect for compliance, audits, and impact analysis.

✅ Zero Manual Effort: No more copying URLs or adding links by hand.

✅ Consistency Across Teams: Uniform linking behavior everywhere, regardless of project or developer habits.

✅ Better Visibility: Reviewers and stakeholders get direct context in both tools.

Security and Access

Secure, authenticated API endpoint

• Token-based access
• No exposure of data
• Minimal PAT scopes: Azure (Work Items Read/Write), GitLab (api)

Who Is This For?

GLAB Integrator is ideal for:

• Teams using GitLab + Azure DevOps together
• Organizations that want traceability without custom tooling
• Enterprises with compliance and audit needs
• Teams that prefer managed services over self-hosted integrations

Ready to Get Started?

If you're tired of manual linking and want effortless traceability between GitLab and Azure DevOps, this managed service is exactly what you've been waiting for.

Get Started Now - We'll guide you through the quick webhook setup in GitLab, and you'll start seeing automatic links in minutes!

Transform your DevOps workflow with true end-to-end visibility.