Query-Generated Work Item Tables

Is it possible to automatically generate an entire table of work Items from a stored TFS query?  Basically, I want to sync up my word document not only on a per-work item basis, but on a per query basis.

This way I could have a word document with various sections that display the work currently in progress, bugs currently being fixed, work assigned to a specific person, with each of those sections generated from an embedded query.

This would be a great way to build an entire, up-to-date project document that is completely synced with the state of TFS.

Any ideas?

We are planning on building what you are describing.  We call it a "Query Block."  Today, we make both a work item field and the work item a first class citizen inside Word.  With a Block, we will also make a group of work items a first class citizen and have an associated TeamSpec Skin for the representation of those fields in the document.  Imagine being able to change the Skin on the fly or sorting a block in the document by a field.  These are the types of things we want to do with blocks.  Also, similar to a work item field being out of date (yellow state), imagine a Block being out of date as a result of the query results changing.  There lots of little things that are enabled once we get Blocks implemented.

You described the Query Block, which is a group of work items driven from the results of a WIQuery with an associated Skin, but there are other types of blocks we would like to build.  For example, image an 'Enumerated Block' where you can add work items to a block without a Query.  This is very useful for requirements elicitation since I can just add another work item using the block and an empty Skin.  This is very similar to our Clone feature today, but without having to select the section of the document you want to clone.

The third type of Block is the "Tracing Block" which would allow you to create a heirarchical bulleted list based on the links between work items where the top level of the heirarchy is defined by the results of a query.  The Tracing Block will allow you to visualize relationships (or lack thereof) between work items. 

Once we have the Blocks implemented, automating the process of creating documents (perhaps using document templates as a starting point) becomes much more realistic. 

To answer your question, this is not possible today, but it's in our roadmap.  We have the foundation to take the next step and make this a reality.

Sounds like exactly what we want. Thank you.

How long?

What part of the roadmap is it?  I mean, are we talking a totally new version, or a point release, or something that is still a fuzzy concept?

I'm not trying to be demanding, I just know how development goes when you've got a lot of features to write, so any indication would be really helpful.

thanks!

This sounds like a very useful feature and I'm looking forward to it!

Thanks for being understanding of what it takes to build out this type of functionality.  We're planning on having this type of functionality in sync with the Rosario (Microsoft) release.  There is some REALLY GREAT functionality that Microsoft will be putting into that release which will help with the overall experience. 

Hi,

we are evaluating the product at the moment and are concerned that what you identify as a key goal in 2008 is still not available in 2012.

Can you update on the state of play with regard to this "Desirable" functionality.

Thx and regards

 

JasKik

Hi JasKik,

 

Thanks very much for evaluating TeamSpec! 

What we're referring to as "Query Blocks" has been one of the most requested features from customers.  Because of this I'm happy to say that it got approved and prioritized for our release schedule.  If you are interested in more details and would like to be put on a list for a preview when it becomes available please email your contact details to sales@teamsystemsolutions.com .

Cheers,

Brian

Hi there

Thanks for the reply. Please could you give some sort of indication of a scheduled release date? This piece of functionality would be a core requirement for us, therefore is of high importance before purchase.

 

Thx and regards

 

Jon M

 

CareBear:

This sounds like a very useful feature and I'm looking forward to it!

 

Really it is! I'm too!