Default Filed Against (Category) field for work items created within a plan
I've read that the default Category for work items created in a plan doesn't use the defaults created for the project (described here https://jazz.net/forum/questions/42540/how-to-default-quotfiled-againstquot-field-for-work-item). I can't seem to figure out how Jazz determines the category for work items created from within a plan, and how one can control this. For example, when we're in a plan and create a new one for a developer, it sets up some of the fields by default properly (like iteration and owner), but the category.
This is close...
https://jazz.net/forum/questions/66430/filed-against-should-default-to-unknown-for-new-work-items
And states that the category is coming from the project configuration somewhere? I have no teams setup...
Accepted answer
The category is assigned depending on the plan owner. The algorithm picks the category which is:
1) Closest to the root
2) Assigned to the owner (team area)
In the case when there is no category assigned to the process area, the algorithm picks one from the whole hierarchy. The algorithm never picks the unassigned category.
Comments
Also see: https://jazz.net/forum/questions/223900/can-we-control-the-default-filed-against-category-field-for-the-work-item-created-within-a-plan-view/224275 for a way to set a default in 6.0.x
3 other answers
Comments
I created a scrum project area and setup 5 categories with no teams. I brought up the Sprint Plan and added some work items, trying to put certain words in the summary and assigning to certain categories, hoping to get the system to "learn" that if "Marco" was in the summary, it was likely to be in category Subsystem2 and if "Subsystem3" was in the summary, the category should be Subsystem3. Then I added more tasks using the clues. Every item I added defaulted to Subsystem1, the first category in the list (that wasn't Unassigned). In my example, "Unassigned" is the root category and all others are direct children.
Any progress on this issue?
I have encountered the same situation on a project. The category (filed/against) information is determined by the category association when creating a workitem under the plan view.
If no association is assigned, I think the first line in the category list will be selected.
Comments
Millard Ellingsworth
FORUM ADMINISTRATOR / JAZZ DEVELOPER Sep 23 '13, 8:42 p.m.Hi, Patrick. Can you provide some more details? What version of RTC? Are you using the Eclipse or Web Client? It sounds like you have multiple categories but no team areas. Do you have more than one timeline? Are you wanting to understand or coerce the behavior?
Patrick Paquette
Sep 24 '13, 9:14 a.m.RTC 4.0.3. I know this happens on the web client, haven't tried it on the eclipse one. I do have multiple categories and no team areas. Only one timeline. I'm wanting more of an understanding and a recommendation on how to use RTC based on the way we work...we want to categorize things based on the subsystem, but everyone on our team is concerned about it. On any given iteration, we can work on multiple subsystems, so there's no distinct timeline. Each release may or may not release the deployable artifacts of each subsystem, but they are all done together in one big shot (allowing for sharing of documentation like release notes). Categories is what I thought would be best for this to help with searching, but maybe what I really want to use is tags, and remove the category field all together, because we're not using the separate teams/timelines?...hmmm...opinion?
Millard Ellingsworth
FORUM ADMINISTRATOR / JAZZ DEVELOPER Sep 24 '13, 10:13 a.m.I generally recommend at least 1 team area (for the reasons outlined here).
Patrick Paquette
Sep 24 '13, 10:43 a.m.Your example is exactly what I'm talking about (it's "this"). I don't understand what RTC is using to determine the default the category when creating a WI from a plan in the work breakdown view by clicking the create item button beside a user when there are no Team Areas.
Patrick Paquette
Sep 24 '13, 10:43 a.m.This link doesn't really say "why" we need to make a Team Area...the section"Create and associate a work item category with the team area" states it merits a whole other article - is there such an article? In any case, if I make a Team Area and do this association, that'll probably do it, Non?
Millard Ellingsworth
FORUM ADMINISTRATOR / JAZZ DEVELOPER Sep 24 '13, 11:02 a.m.The main "why" is separating the workers from the watchers. If you have stakeholders, you may have noticed that they appear in your plans even though they will never get assigned work. Changing this later in the project if you suddenly start taking on stakeholders is non-trivial. No, I don't think creating a team area will just fix your concerns (see answer below).