Process Template Customization Objects and Elements for VSTF 2010 Beta 1
This post provides an inventory of the process template files, data elements, and other objects and other artifacts that you can customize with Visual Studio Team System 2010 Team Suite Beta 1. Process templates provide a blueprint for the New Team Project Creation wizard to create the objects and artifacts that support the processes a team should follow. When you create a team project, the files contained in the process template are used to configure the initial states of many elements. When you have specific processes that you want supported by all the team projects that you will create, you may want to customize one or more areas of a process template.
The information contained in this inventory is based on the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) Agile Software Development v5.0 process template that is available with Visual Studio Team System 2010 Team Suite Beta 1. For an overview of this process template, see Team Foundation Server Process Templates For Effective Project Management. For a list of the plug-in files contained in the MSF Agile process template, see Process Template Plug-in Files for MSF Agile 5.0 Software Development. Third parties can write plug-ins for the New Team Project Creation wizard that could consume their own custom process templates elements.
Each of the following areas contains process template plug-ins and additional files. Many elements defined through the process template can be updated through Visual Studio, Team Explorer, or other user interface (UI). Others elements can be exported, modified, and imported based on an XML definition file, or other file type.
This list is a work in progress. The goal is to create an end-to-end list of objects that can be customized and the tools that support customization for each. The second objective that will be addressed later is to provide guidance about how to keep the various elements in sync with each other when any one element is customized. As more information becomes available, this list will be updated accordingly.
Legend:
- A
under UI indicates that the element can be modified through a user interface application AFTER the team project has been created.
- A
under UI indicates that the element cannot be modified through a user interface application AFTER the team project has been created.
- A under MSF Agile 5.0 Process Template indicates that initial configurations may be defined through a process template file.
Links to more information
The links provided in the last column of each table are primarily to content that was released in May 2009 for Visual Studio Team System 2010 Beta 1. Some content and updates to existing content to cover all new features is still under development.
Process Template Plug-in Files for MSF Agile 5.0 Software Development
The process template plug-in files define the tasks to be run when creating a team project and upload the process template files that are not plug-ins. To customize a plug-in file, you must edit the corresponding xml file.
- Process Template.xml
- Build.xml (New in VSTF 2010)
- Classification.xml
- GroupsandPermissions.xml
- Lab.xml (New in VSTF 2010)
- Reports.xml
- TestManagement.xml (New in VSTF 2010)
- VersionControl.xml
- WssTasks.xml
- WorkItems.xml
Creating a Team Project
The following process template files are used to create a team project by defining the initial classifications, group roles and permissions, and work item tracking objects.
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File or Element
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UI
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File Type
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MSF Agile 5.0 Process Template
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Description
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Links to more information
|
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ProcessTemplate
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.xml
(plug-in)
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Defines the set of process template plug-ins to be run when creating a team project.
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Process Template Architecture
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Classification
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Classification
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.xml
(plug-in)
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Configures a team project's initial area and iteration paths; uploads the Project field mapping file.
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Classification Process Template Plug-in
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---Area Path
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A node on the Common Structure Service hierarchy that represents a feature area.
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How to: Create and Modify Areas or Iterations
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---Iteration Path
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A hierarchy of events in the project life cycle.
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How to: Create and Modify Areas or Iterations
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FileMapping
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.xml
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Specifies the file that defines how fields are mapped for Microsoft Office Project to Team Foundation.
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Customizing Office Project Field Mappings
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Security
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Groups and Permissions
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.xml
(plug-in)
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Configures custom groups or roles and their permissions for a team project. This is in addition to the default groups and permissions defined by Team Foundation Server.
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Groups and Permissions Process Template Plug-in
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---Groups
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A group is a collection of users who have the same security requirements in a project or collection.
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Managing Groups
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---Permissions
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You control what tasks users can perform by specifying group membership and permissions.
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Managing Permissions
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Work Item Tracking
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Customizing Project Tracking Data, Forms, Workflow, and Other Objects
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WorkItems
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.xml
(plug-in)
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Uploads the work item types, link types, categories, and queries defined in the process template. Also, configures the initial team query folders and permissions and creates initial tasks or work items for a team project.
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Work Item Tracking Process Template Plug-in
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Work Item Types
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.xml
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Defines the process template's work item types that are imported to a team project.
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Working with Work Item Types
(Note: For previous versions of Visual Studio Team Foundation, the Process Editor provided in Team Foundation Server Power Tools can be used to customize work item types through a user interface.)
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---Data Fields
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Data fields are defined within each work item type. You add new data fields to a work item type.
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Customizing and Using Work Item Fields
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---Workflow
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Workflow is defined for each work item type.
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Defining and Customizing Work Item Workflow
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---Work Item Form
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Work item forms are defined for each work item type.
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Designing and Customizing a Work Item Form
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Link Types
(New in VSTF 2010)
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.xml |
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Defines the default link types available for a team project.
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Customizing How Work Items are Related through Link Types
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Global Lists
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.xml
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Defines a pick list that is shared across work item types and team projects.
Note: No global lists are defined in the MSF Agile Software Development v5.0 process template.
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Working with Global Lists
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Categories
(New in VSTF 2010)
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.xml
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Defines the initial categories available for a team project.
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Grouping Work Items into Categories
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Queries
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.wiq
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Defines the initial work item team queries available for a team project.
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Queries for Work Items
Queries can be modified using Team Explorer or Team System Web Access and saved as a .wiq file, see Finding Bugs, Tasks, and Other Work Items.
Also, queries can be defined using the work item query language, see Syntax for the Work Item Query Language.
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Process Guidance, Work Products, and Dashboards
The following process template files are used to define the team project portal based on the process template used to create the team project.
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File or Element
|
UI
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File Type
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MSF Agile 5.0 Process Template
|
Description
|
Links to more information
|
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WSS Tasks
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.xml
(plug-in)
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Defines the project portal for the team based on a SharePoint site template. Also uploads the process guidance files provided by the process template and supports the ability to activate features.
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Windows SharePoint Services Process Template Plug-in
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Process Guidance
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.htm
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Defines the process guidance content; requires SharePoint Products and Technologies to be configured for a team project.
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Content under development.
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Samples and Templates (Work Products)
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.dotx, .docx
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Provides sample word documents and templates as a starting point for creating work products.
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Download and unzip the MSF Agile Software Development v5.0 process template to view the work product samples and templates. Requires installing Visual Studio Team System 2010 Team Suite Beta 1.
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Shared Documents, Dashboards
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.xlsx, .xlsm
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Provides Excel worksheets for tracking a team project using the process defined by the process template.
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Dashboards Provided for MSF Agile Software Development v5.0.
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Reports
The following process template files are used to configure the initial reports available for the team project. Some of the reports use SQL Server Reporting Services and can be found in Team Explorer under the reports folder for a team project.
|
File or Element
|
UI
|
File Type
|
MSF Agile 5.0 Process Template
|
Description
|
Links to more information
|
|
ReportsTasks
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.xml
(plug-in)
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Configures initial reports based on the process selected for a team project.
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Reports Process Template Plug-in
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Reports
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.rdl
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Defines the reports.
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Reports
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Testing an Application (New in VSTF 2010)
The following process template files are used to configure the initial states for Microsoft Test and Lab Manager. Microsoft Test and Lab Manager is available when you download Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 Beta 1, and will be available in the releases of Visual Studio® Team Test 2010 and Visual Studio® Team Test 2010 Essentials.
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File or Element
|
UI
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File Type
|
MSF Agile 5.0 Process Template
|
Description
|
Links to more information
|
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testmanagement
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.xml
(plug-in)
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Configures the initial properties for Microsoft Test and Lab Manager by uploading the test management files.
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Content under development.
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testconfiguration
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.xml
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Configures the default test configurations (hardware and software) defined for a team project. Once the project is created, you can delete these configurations and create new configurations.
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How to: Create Test Configurations
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testresolutionstate
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.xml
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Configures the Test Resolution states for a team project as Needs investigation, Test issue,
Product issue, or Configuration issue. You cannot change these states after the team project is created.
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Content under development.
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testsettings
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.xml
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Specifies the default test settings files.
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Setting Up Machines and Diagnostic Information to be Collected Using Test Settings
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testvariable
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.xml
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Configures the initial test variables for a team project. Once the project is created, you can modify these variables and create new variables.
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How to: Create Test Configurations
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Building an Application (New in VSTF 2010)
The following process template file and build elements are used to configure the Team Foundation Build Service which is available when you download Visual Studio Team System 2010 Team Foundation Server Beta 1.
Versioning Source Code
The following process template file and version control elements are used to configure Team Foundation version control which is installed when you install Visual Studio Team System 2010 Team Foundation Server Beta 1.
Visual Studio Team System Lab Management (New in VSTF 2010)
Visual Studio Team System Lab Management is a new member of the Visual Studio Team System 2010 family of products. Lab Management enables you to create, store, and track virtual environments for use in application development, deployment, and testing.
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File or Element
|
UI
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File Type
|
MSF Agile 5.0 Process Template
|
Description
|
Links to more information
|
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Lab
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.xml
(plug-in)
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Configures initial permissions assigned to identities for Lab Management 2010 Beta 1.
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Content under development.
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Additional Resources
