Azure DevOps Project Timeline

Azure DevOps Project Timeline

Project Timeline is an extension for Azure DevOps to view the overall project backlog work items on a timeline chart.

The supported work items are Epic, Feature, and User stories which must have the Start Date and Target Date populated. The Project Timeline is available in the Boards section of Azure DevOps.

Features

• Zoom in/out the Project Timeline view based on Day, Week, or Month using the Zoom by dropdown field.
• Filter the work items based on the work item type and teams/subteams using the corresponding dropdown fields.
• An arrow mark displays the relation between Epic, Feature, and User Stories.
• A double click on a work item opens it in a dialog box for editing.
• A single click on the work item displays the title, percentage completed, start/target date, and value area in a popup.

Pre requesites/ Limitations

• The work items must have the Start date and Target date filled in to display in the Project Timeline.
• The work items with a Start date that is older than 7 months are NOT displayed.

Step to view work items on the Project Timeline

1. Create Project

Create a project or use an existing project.

2. Configure Teams (Optional)

Go to Project Settings and click on the Teams link to create Teams required for the project.
This is an optional step as You may leave the single default Team.

3. Configure Sub-Teams (Optional)

Go to Project Settings, click on the Project configuration link, and then the Areas tab to create Sub-Teams required for the project.
This is an optional step too.

4. Create Work items

Go back to the Project Boards, click on work items to add Epics, Features, and User stories.
Make sure to fill in the Start Date, Target Date, select team in areas field, and optionally select value area which will display on the tooltip in the timeline.

The Start Date and Target Date are not displayed on the User Story form by default. Customize the User story form to make these fields visible.
Open one of the User stories, Click on three dots and then Customize as shown below. You may leave this step if User stories are NOT required to be displayed on the timeline.

5. View Project Timeline

Click on the Timeline link in the Boards section to view the project work items in the timeline chart.
Use the first dropdown field Zoom by to zoom in/out the chart timeline.
Use the second dropdown field to filter the work items based on the type.
Use the third dropdown field to filter the work items based on the team.
Use the refresh button to re-render the work items in the timeline. This button is helpful when a work item is updated on this page by double click on the work item.
A single click on a work item displays a tooltip message with the Title, Percentage completed, Start Date, Target Date, and Value Area.

The percentage completed for Epics and Features is calculated based on the user stories that are marked Closed and their Story Points.
The work item bars are displayed with a darker shade for percentage completed and a lighter shade for yet to be completed.

Sales and Support

Email us at azdotimeline@gmail.com for sales and support. Do email us for any help on this extension or if you would like to request a new feature.