Configure an Agile Board

Open the Board Settings > Columns and Swimlanes tab.

Select a field to identify columns. You can select any field that stores a state, enum, ownedField, or version type as long as the Multi-value option is disabled. That is, the field that identifies columns can only have one value set at a time. The selection is limited to the fields that are used in the projects that are associated with the board.

• Each value that is used in the selected field can be added as a column to the board.

Click the Add column option and select the values that you want to use as columns on the board.

Optionally, set the Min WIP and Max WIP for each column. WIP stands for "Work in progress" — the number of cards that can be present simultaneously in the column. You can set the minimum and maximum WIP here. When the number of tasks in the column is less than the "Min WIP" or is more than the "Max WIP" value, in the column's title, a warning message is displayed.

Optionally, drag a value to reorder the columns.

Optionally, use the Merge with control to merge multiple values into a single column. For more information, see Merge Board Columns.

Click the Edit icon.

Rename the column by updating the name of the value in the field.

Click the Save button to apply your changes.

Select an option to identify swimlanes.

From the Add value drop-down list, select the values that you want to use as swimlanes on the board.

Optionally, enable the Show swimlane for uncategorized cards option. When enabled, you can choose to display this swimlane at the top or bottom of the board.

Click the Settings () button to open the Board Settings and switch to the Cards tab.

Set the Current estimation field for the board. You can only select from fields that store a period, integer, or float type. This field is also used to calculate the burndown chart.

Optionally, set the Original estimation field. This field stores the estimation that was determined before the beginning of the sprint. Like the current estimation, you can only select a field that stores a period, integer, or float type.

Optionally, set the Default value for Type. All new cards that are added to the board are assigned the selected value. This parameter is only visible when swimlanes are enabled and identified by Issue.

Select a Color Scheme for cards on the board.

• If you select Project, you can choose which color is applied to cards in each project.

• If you select a custom field, the color that is associated with each value in the set is applied to cards automatically.

To customize the set of custom fields that are shown on each card, click the Customize fields button. This reveals a set of controls that let you customize the field presentation.

• Use the Add field and Remove field controls to choose which fields you want to appear on each card. The list of fields in the Add field menu is restricted to the fields that are available in the projects that are managed on the board.

• Drag fields by their handles to reorder fields on each card.

• Select an option from the Display menu. You can choose to show the full name or just the first letter for the value that is stored in each field.

Optionally, enable the Show colors for other custom fields option. When enabled, color-coded visual indicators for custom fields are displayed on each card.

If your board uses sprints, you can enable the Allow cards to be assigned to multiple sprints option. When enabled, cards are not restricted to a single sprint.

Open the Chart tab of the Board Settings.

Select the Type of the chart that you wish to use for your board. By default, the Burndown chart is selected.

In the Issue Filter parameter, select which cards should be counted for the chart:

• All cards: all cards that are assigned to the current sprint of the board are taken into account. Swimlanes are not taken into account in this case.

• Custom: All cards and swimlanes that match the Query are taken into account. You can update the query at any time: Just open the settings and correct the query. When done, click the Recalculate button next to the Query filed to immediately see the updated chart.

If you have selected an Estimation Field in the Card settings, you can also define how to calculate the burndown. The availability of the Burndown calculated by options depends on the time tracking settings for the projects that you manage on the board:

• Issue count — the burndown calculation is based on the number of cards.

• Estimation — the burndown is based on the value that is stored in the Estimation Field. When a card is resolved, the line descends based on the value that is stored as the current estimation in the corresponding issue.

• Work items — the burndown is calculated based on the amount of spent time that is added to issues in work items.

Click the Backlog button in the toolbar.

• The panel to the left side of the board opens to show the backlog.

Choose whether you want to create a saved search to use as the backlog or use an existing search.

• If you've already defined a saved search that filters for issues that you want to use as the backlog for the board, click either link and select the saved search from the list.

  

  Use the search box to filter the list by name

• To generate a new saved search, click the Create a new saved search button.

  

  A query for the new saved search is generated with the following format:

  project: <project(s)> has: -{Board <Board Name>} #Unresolved

  This saved search returns all unresolved issues in the projects that are managed on the board that are not already assigned to the board.

  The saved search is automatically assigned the name <Board Name> Backlog. If you want to assign the saved search another name, edit the value in the Name field.

Once you've selected or created a saved search, a list of issues that match the search criteria is shown in the backlog.

Click the Backlog button in the toolbar to collapse the backlog.