Team Foundation Server 15中Epics查看、关联及使用场景咨询

Hey there! Let's work through your TFS 15 questions step by step—this stuff can feel confusing when you're new to the tool, so I'm glad you asked.

1. Why can't I find the Epics I created? #

Epics don't always show up by default in TFS 15's standard views, so here are two quick fixes:

• Check your work item queries: Create a new query, set the work item type to Epic, and remove any unnecessary filters (like "State = Active" if you created it but haven't activated it yet). This will pull up all Epics in your project.
• Enable Epics in your backlog/kanban: By default, many teams only have Features and User Stories visible on their backlog. To add Epics:
  1. Open your project's backlog or kanban board
  2. Click the settings icon (gear) in the top right corner
  3. Navigate to Backlog levels
  4. Check the box next to Epic and save your changes
     You'll now see Epics as the top-level items on your backlog/kanban.

2. How to link Features to Epics? #

There are a few straightforward ways to do this:

• Directly in the Feature work item: Open the Feature, find the Parent field, and select the Epic you want to link it to. Save the work item, and the relationship will be established.
• Drag-and-drop on the kanban: If you've enabled Epics on your kanban board (per the steps above), you can simply drag a Feature card and drop it under the corresponding Epic—TFS will automatically set the Parent field for you.
• Bulk edit multiple Features: If you have several Features to link to the same Epic, select all of them in a query result, click Edit, and set the Parent field to your target Epic in the bulk edit window.

3. Are Epics suitable as client-level containers? #

Great question—let's break down the use case:
Epics are designed to represent large, cross-iteration initiatives that require multiple Features to deliver (e.g., "Client X's E-Commerce Integration"). If each of your clients has distinct, large-scale projects that span multiple Features, using Epics as client-level containers can work.

That said, there's a more flexible alternative if your client work includes smaller, scattered tasks:

• Use Area Paths to organize work by client first. You can set up a hierarchy like Workflow/ClientA, Workflow/ClientB, etc. Then, within each client's Area Path, create Epics for their major initiatives, Features for sub-components, and so on.
• This approach is better because Area Paths let you filter queries, generate client-specific reports, and organize work at a granular level—without forcing every client task to sit under a single Epic (which can get unwieldy if the client has lots of small requests).

In short: Epics work for client-level containers if each client's work is a large, cohesive initiative. For more fragmented client work, pair Area Paths with Epics (for big initiatives) to keep things organized.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者VACoder