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title Plan and track work in Azure Boards
titleSuffix Azure Boards
description Learn how to plan and track work by using Azure Boards using the Agile, Basic, Scrum, or Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) processes.
ms.custom boards-get-started
ms.service azure-devops-boards
ms.author chcomley
author chcomley
ms.topic how-to
monikerRange <= azure-devops
ms.date 09/29/2025

Plan and track work in Azure Boards

[!INCLUDE version-lt-eq-azure-devops]

Use Azure Boards to plan and track work with the Agile, Basic, Scrum, or Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) processes. For more information about process choices, see About processes and process templates.

[!INCLUDE basic process]

Agile process

The Agile process uses user stories, tasks, bugs, features, and epics to plan and track work. Add user stories and group them into features when you need higher-level planning. Add tasks to a user story to track smaller units of work.

Work item types Backlog hierarchy
:::image type="content" source="media/about-boards/agile-process-wits.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing Agile process work item types in a hierarchy."::: :::image type="content" source="media/about-boards/agile-hierarchy.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing Agile process hierarchical backlog.":::

Use the work item form to describe the work, assign owners, track status, and collaborate with the team through the Discussion section. This article shows how to add user stories, create child tasks, and update work items from the web portal.

Basic process

The Basic process provides epics, issues, and tasks. Use issues to represent user stories, bugs, or feature work. Group items under epics and add tasks for implementation details.

Work item types Backlog hierarchy
:::image type="content" source="media/about-boards/basic-process-epics-issues-tasks-2.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing Basic process work item types."::: :::image type="content" source="media/about-boards/hierarchy-2.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing Basic process hierarchical backlog.":::

This article explains how to add issues, create child tasks, and update details on the web portal.

Scrum process

The Scrum process uses product backlog items, tasks, bugs, features, and epics. Add product backlog items, group them into features, and create child tasks for work tracking.

Work item types Backlog hierarchy
:::image type="content" source="../work-items/guidance/media/ALM_PT_Scrum_WIT_Artifacts.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing Scrum process work item types in a hierarchy."::: :::image type="content" source="media/about-boards/scrum-hierarchy-simple.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing Scrum process backlog with parent items.":::

This article shows how to add product backlog items, child tasks, and details on the web portal.

CMMI process

The CMMI process uses requirements, tasks, bugs, features, and epics. Start with requirements, group them into features or epics, and add child tasks for implementation.

Work item types Backlog hierarchy
:::image type="content" source="../work-items/guidance/media/ALM_PT_CMMI_WIT_Artifacts.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing CMMI process work item types in a hierarchy."::: :::image type="content" source="media/about-boards/cmmi-hierarchy-simple.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing CMMI process requirements backlog with parents.":::

This article shows how to add requirements, child tasks, and work item details on the web portal.

Prerequisites

::: moniker range="azure-devops"

Category Requirements
Access levels - Add work items and use board features: at least Basic access.
- Private project: to view boards, open and modify work items, and add child tasks: at least Stakeholder access (Stakeholders can't reorder or reparent backlog items or update fields on cards).
- Public project: for full access to all Boards features: at least Stakeholder access.
Permissions Member of the Contributors or Project Administrators group.

::: moniker-end

For more information, see Default permissions and access for Azure Boards.

Open your board

A team board exists for each team in a project. To open a board:

  1. Sign in to your organization at https://dev.azure.com/{Your_Organization} and go to your project.
  2. Select Boards > Boards. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/open-boards.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing navigation to Boards in the project menu.":::
  3. Select a board from the All Team Boards dropdown. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/select-from-all-team-boards-dropdown-menu.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing the All Team Boards dropdown.":::

Add work items to your board

Boards automatically assign the team's default Area Path and Iteration Path to new work items. See Manage and configure team tools for team settings.

To add items:

  • Agile: On the Stories board, choose New item, type a title, and press Enter. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/new-user-story-kanban-board.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing adding a new user story on the Stories board.":::
  • Basic: On the Issues board, choose New item, type a title, and press Enter. :::image type="content" source="media/track-issues/issues-board-new-item.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing adding a new issue on the Issues board.":::
  • Scrum: On the Backlog items board, choose New item, type a title, and press Enter. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/new-scrum-item-kanban-board.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing adding a new backlog item on the Backlog items board.":::
  • CMMI: On the Requirements board, choose New item, type a title, and press Enter. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/new-user-story-kanban-board-cmmi.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing adding a new requirement on the Requirements board.":::

The system assigns an ID when you create the work item.

Tip

To add features and child items quickly, choose Features from the board selector.

:::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/choose-features-board.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing the Features board selector.":::

Add tasks (child items)

To track implementation details, create tasks from a parent work item.

  1. Open the parent card's actions menu and choose Add Task (the green plus icon). :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/add-child-task.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing Add Task from a work item card menu.":::

  2. Type the task title and press Enter. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/prep-images-task.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing entering a task title.":::

  3. To add multiple tasks quickly, continue typing titles and press Enter after each.

    Tasks inherit the parent's Area Path and Iteration Path and appear on sprint taskboards.

    You can:

    • Mark a task complete by selecting its checkbox (State changes to Done).

    :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/mark-tasks-as-done.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing tasks marked as done.":::

    • Reorder or reparent tasks by dragging them in the checklist.

    :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/reorder-task.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing reordering a task.":::

    • Expand or collapse a task checklist.

    :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/collapse-task-list.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing a collapsed task checklist.":::

Open and update a work item

To edit a work item, select its title. Update field values, add a description, or add a discussion note. Use the Attachments tab to upload files by drag-and-drop. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/user-story-form-add-details.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing details on a user story work item form.":::

When you finish editing, select Save & Close.

Update work status

Drag work item cards between columns to update their State.

  • Agile: move cards from Backlog → Active → Resolved → Closed. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/update-status.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing moving a card between columns in Agile.":::
  • Basic: move cards from To Do → Doing → Done. :::image type="content" source="media/track-issues/update-status.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing moving a card between columns in Basic.":::
  • Scrum: move cards from New → Approved → Committed → Done. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/update-status-scrum.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing moving a card between columns in Scrum.":::
  • CMMI: move cards from Backlog → Active → Resolved → Closed. :::image type="content" source="media/plan-track-work/update-status-cmmi.png" alt-text="Screenshot showing moving a card between columns in CMMI.":::

Tip

To add or rename columns, see About configuring and customizing Azure Boards.

Field descriptions and task fields

You can use these fields on backlog items and tasks to support planning and capacity tracking.

Note

Tasks show "h" for hours on the taskboard, but you can track work in any unit your team prefers.

:::row::: :::column span=""::: Field :::column-end::: :::column span="3"::: Usage :::column-end::: :::row-end:::

:::row::: :::column span=""::: Activity :::column-end::: :::column span="3"::: The type of activity for a task (for example, Development, Testing). See Determine and set sprint capacity. :::column-end::: :::row-end::: :::row::: :::column span=""::: Discipline (CMMI process) :::column-end::: :::column span="3"::: The discipline for CMMI tasks (for example, Analysis, Development, Test). :::column-end::: :::row-end::: :::row::: :::column span=""::: Original Estimate :::column-end::: :::column span="3"::: The estimated work required to complete a task. :::column-end::: :::row-end::: :::row::: :::column span=""::: Remaining Work :::column-end::: :::column span="3"::: The amount of work left to finish a task. Use hours or days. Update this field as work progresses; it's used by capacity charts and the sprint burndown. :::column-end::: :::row-end::: :::row::: :::column span=""::: Completed Work :::column-end::: :::column span="3"::: The time spent implementing a task. Enter this value when you complete the task. :::column-end::: :::row-end::: :::row::: :::column span=""::: Task Type (CMMI only) :::column-end::: :::column span="3"::: Select the appropriate task type for CMMI tasks (for example, Corrective Action, Mitigation Action, Planned). :::column-end::: :::row-end:::

[!INCLUDE discussion comments]

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[!div class="nextstepaction"] Customize your board