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Copy a Work Item

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When you copy a work item, you can apply a different work item type to the copy, and you can save the copy to the same project or to a different project.

The initial properties of the copy depend on the tool you use to make the copy.

  • If you copy a work item using Team Explorer or Team Web Access, the copy takes the default state and the default reason. For example, if you copy a bug that is closed, the initial state of the copy is active.

  • If you copy a work item using Office Excel or Office Project, the new work item properties exactly match the original. For example, if you copy a work item that has invalid field values, the copy also has invalid field values, and you cannot publish the new work item until you have changed those values.

    Note

    This topic is based on the work item transitions in Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) for Agile Software Development, which is one of the process guidance templates that Team Foundation provides. If your project uses a different method, your work item states might be different. For more information, see MSF for Agile Software Development v5.0.

In this topic

  • Copying a Work Item by Using Team Web Access

  • Copying a Work Item by Using Team Explorer

  • Copying a Work Item by Using Microsoft Office Excel

  • Copying a Work Item by Using Microsoft Office Project

Required Permissions

To perform these procedures, you must be a member of the Contributors group or have your View work items in this node and Edit work items in this node permissions set to Allow. For more information, see Team Foundation Server Permissions.

Copying a Work Item by Using Team Web Access

To copy a work item by using Team Web Access

  1. In Team Web Access, open a list of work item query results that contains the work item that you want to copy.

  2. In the query results list, click the work item that you want to copy, and then click the arrow next to the work item.

  3. On the menu that appears, click Create Copy of Work Item.

  4. In the Team Project list, click the project to which you want to copy the work item.

  5. In the Work item type list, click the type of work item for the copy.

    Note

    If you select a work item type that does not have the same fields as the work item you are copying, the copy receives only the fields that are common to both work item types.

  6. Click OK.

  7. In the new work item form, modify the work item as appropriate.

  8. Click Save or Save & Close.

Copying a Work Item by Using Team Explorer

To copy a work item by using Team Explorer

  1. In Team Explorer, open a work item.

  2. On the Edit menu, click Create Copy of Work Item.

  3. In the Team project list, click the name of the team project to which you want to copy the work item.

  4. In the Work item type list, click the type of work item for the copy.

    Note

    If you select a work item type that does not have the same fields as the work item that you are copying, the copy receives only the fields that are common to both work item types.

  5. Click OK.

  6. In the work item form, modify the work item as appropriate.

  7. Click Save Work Item.

Copying a Work Item by Using Microsoft Office Excel

To copy a work item by using Office Excel

  1. Open or create a work item list in Office Excel.

  2. (Optional) If the work item list is one that you created previously and have reopened, on the Team tab, in the Work Items group, click Refresh.

    This step helps make sure that the work item list has the most current information.

  3. On the Team tab, in the Work Items group, click Choose Columns.

  4. In the Choose Columns dialog box, click Add Required.

  5. In the work item list, perform one of the following sets of steps to create a blank row in which to put the new work item:

    To insert the work item copy between two work items:

    1. Click the work item that is below the location where you want to insert the new work item.

    2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click the arrow next to Insert, and then click Insert Sheet Rows.

    To insert the work item copy at the end of the work item list:

    1. Click a cell in the last work item in the work item list.

    2. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click the arrow next to Insert, and then click Insert Table Row Below.

      You must insert a new row at the end of the work item list because if you click a row that is outside the boundaries of the work item list, Office Excel does not recognize the new work item as part of the work item list.

  6. Select the row that contains the work item that you want to copy.

  7. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy.

    You can also press CTRL+C.

  8. Select the blank row that you inserted earlier in this procedure, and on the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Paste.

    You can also press CTRL+V.

  9. Examine each cell in the new work item and correct information.

    You must correct invalid information before you can publish the work item. For example, if the work item that you copied is in a Closed state, you must set the new work item to an active state before you can publish it. A triangle appears in the upper-left corner of any cell that contains invalid information.

  10. On the Team tab, in the Work Items group, click Publish.

  11. (Optional) Save the Office Excel worksheet.

Copying a Work Item by Using Microsoft Office Project

To copy a work item by using Office Project

  1. Open or create a project plan in Office Project.

  2. (Optional) If the plan is one that you created previously and have reopened, on the Team menu, click Refresh.

    This step helps make sure that the Office Project plan has the most current information.

  3. Select the row that contains the work item that you want to copy.

  4. On the Edit menu, click Copy Task.

    You can also press CTRL+C.

  5. Select the row where you want to put the new task.

    In Office Project, you do not have to insert a blank row first. The existing work items move down to make room for the pasted work item copy.

  6. On the Edit menu, click Paste.

    You can also press CTRL+V.

  7. Examine each field in the new work item and correct any invalid information.

    You must correct invalid information before you can publish the work item. For example, if the work item that you copied is in a Closed state, you must set the new work item to an active state before you can publish it.

  8. On the Team menu, click Publish Changes.

  9. (Optional) Save the Office Project plan.

See Also

Tasks

Create, Open, and Modify Work Items Using Office Excel

Create a Microsoft Project Plan from Team Foundation Work Items

Create a Work Item

Concepts

Working with Team Foundation Clients

Other Resources

Work Items and Workflow (Agile)

Work Items and Workflow (CMMI)

Creating, Copying, and Updating Work Items