In this topic, you can learn how to fill in the details of an issue work item. For information about how to create this type of work item, see Work Items and Workflow (GovDev).

Required Permissions

To view an issue, you must be a member of the Readers group or your View work items in this node must be set to Allow. To modify an issue, you must be a member of the Contributors group or your Edit work items in this node permissions must be set to Allow. For more information, see Managing Permissions.

Defining an Issue

The work item form for an issue stores data in the fields and tabs that are shown in the following illustration:

Work Item Form for Issue

To define a single issue

  1. In the top section of the work item form, specify one or more of the following types of information:

  2. On the Details tab, specify one or more of the following types of information:

    • In the Description box, provide as much detail as you want to describe the issue.

    • In the History box, provide as much detail as you want.

      You can format the text that you type in this box.

      Every time that a team member updates the work item, its history shows the date of the change, the name of the team member who made the change, and the fields that changed.

  3. Link the issue to other work items, such as a use case or task.

    For more information, see the next section in this topic.

  4. Click Save Save Work Item.

Linking an Issue to a Use Case, Task, or Other Work Item

Adding Details, Attachments, or Hyperlinks to an Issue

You can add information to an issue as more information becomes available. You add details to an issue in the following ways:

  • Type information in the Description or History field.

  • Attach a file.

    For example, you can attach an e-mail thread, a document, an image, a log file, or another type of file.

  • Add a hyperlink to a Web site or to a file that is stored on a server or Web site.

To add details to an issue

To add an attachment to an issue

  1. On the Attachments tab, perform one of the following actions:

    • Drag a file into the attachment area.

    • Click Paste or press CTRL-V to paste a file that you have copied.

    • Click Add Attachment Add, click Browse, and, in the Attachment dialog box, type or browse to the name of the file that you want to attach.

      (Optional) In the Comment box, type additional information about the attachment. To close the Attachment dialog box, click OK.

  2. Click Save Save Work Item.

To add a hyperlink to an issue

  1. On the Links tab, click Add Links Link to.

  2. In the Link Type list, click Hyperlink.

  3. In the Address box, perform one of the following actions:

    • If the target is a Web site, type the URL, or copy it from your Internet browser and paste it into the Address box.

    • If the target is a server location, type its UNC address.

  4. (Optional) In the Comment box, type additional information about the hyperlink.

  5. Click OK.

  6. Click Save Save Work Item.

Closing an Issue

After an issue has been resolved and is no longer blocking progress, you change the state from active to closed. For more information about data fields that track states of work items, see Assignments and Workflow (GovDev).

To close an issue

  1. Open the issue.

  2. In the State list, click Closed.

  3. Click Save Save Work Item.

Typical workflow progression:

  • A team member creates an issue in the Activestate with a default reason of New.

  • A team member changes the state from Active to Closed when the issue is resolved or no longer blocking progress.

Additional workflow transitions states:

  • A team member determines that the issue was closed in error and reactivates the issue by changing the state from Closed to Active.

Issue State Diagram

Issue state diagram

Active (New)

Closed

See Also