How to: Connect a Work Item List to a Work Item Query

  • Article

When you work with work items in Microsoft Excel, the type of work item list you select affects how the work item list is refreshed from the work item database:

  • Query list   When you create a query list, refreshing the work item list updates both what work items are in the list, and the information for the work items. In the work item list header, under Query, query lists contain the name of the query to which they are connected.

  • Input list   When you create an input list, refreshing the work item list updates only the information for the work items already in the list. In the work item list header, under Query, input lists contain [none].

Warning

When you change from an input list to a query list, the work items that you have added to the list are replaced with the work items that match the query.

Required Permissions

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

To create a query list

  1. In Team Explorer, find or create the query that returns the work items that you want in your work item list.

  2. In Team Explorer, right-click the query name, and then click Open in Microsoft Excel.

    Microsoft Excel opens a new work item list that uses the results of the query. When you refresh this list, the work items included will change to match the query results.

  3. Optionally, you can add the document to Team Explorer.

    For more information, see How to: Upload a Document in Team Explorer.

  4. Save the Microsoft Excel file.

To create an input list

  1. Open the same Microsoft Excel file that you created in the previous procedure.

  2. Select a cell in the work item list.

  3. On the Team tab, in the Work Items group, click Configure List.

    Note

    In Microsoft Office Excel 2003, use the Team menu.

  4. Select Refresh current work items only.

  5. Click Apply.

    The query header will indicate that there is no query associated with this work item list.

See Also

Tasks

How to: Create a Work Item List

How to: Upload a Document in Team Explorer

How to: Publish or Refresh Work Items in Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Project