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process-customize-workflow.md

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ms.service azure-devops-boards
ms.author chcomley
author chcomley
ms.prod azure-devops
ms.topic include
ms.date 11/04/2025

You can customize the workflow of any work item type (WIT) by hiding inherited states or adding custom states. Inherited states vary based on the system process used to create the custom process: Agile, Basic, Scrum, or Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). For more information, see Workflow states, transitions, and reasons.

The default workflow for each WIT defines between two and four states and specifies the following workflow operations:

  • Forward and backward transitions between each state. For example, the Basic process Issue WIT includes three states: To Do, Doing, and Done.
  • Default reasons for each state transition.

Inherited and custom workflows must conform to the following rules:

  • Define at least two workflow states.
  • Define at least one state for either the Proposed or In Progress state categories.
  • Define a maximum of 32 workflow states per work item type.

Note

Before you add a custom workflow state, see About workflow states in backlogs and boards to learn how workflow states map to categories.

For customizations to inherited and custom workflow states, see the following resources:

Inherited states

Custom states

Limitations

  • You can't change the name, color, or category of inherited states, but you can hide them if you don't want them visible.
  • You can't change the names of custom states once defined.
  • You can't change or customize the default state category names.
  • Only one state can exist in the Completed state category. Adding a custom state to this category removes or hides any other state in that category.
  • You can't specify custom Reasons for state transitions. Use default reasons, such as Moved to state Triaged and Moved out of state Triaged.
  • You can't change the placement of the State and Reason fields on the work item form.