Configuring the data sync between Azure DevOps and Forecast

The integration between Azure DevOps (ADO) and Forecast allows developers to collaborate with other teams and access information held in distributed systems in the end-to-end software delivery value stream. This is achieved by Forecast's ability to seamlessly sync projects and their components between the two platforms. If you are looking to install the integration, see Setting up the Azure DevOps integration for Forecast instead.

This article includes:

Understanding the data flow between Azure DevOps and Forecast
Azure DevOps and Forecast's task hierarchy limitations
Related articles

Understanding the data flow between Azure DevOps and Forecast

Data synchronization between Azure DevOps and Forecast

Synchronization between Azure DevOps and Forecast is bi-directional. The table below shows the field mapping across Forecast and ADO.

Forecast	Azure DevOps
Phase	Feature/Epic
Sprint	Sprint/Iteration
Task	Work Item
Subtask	Task

Data synchronization of Tasks/Work items

Synchronization of Forecast tasks and ADO work items is also bi-directional. The table below shows how tasks/work items data is synced between the two platforms.

Forecast	Azure DevOps
Name	Name
Description	Description
Start Date	Start Date
Deadline	Target Date
Status	State
Assignee	Assignee
Sprint	Sprint/Iteration
Remaining	Remaining Work
Estimate	Chosen ADO field

Note: To synchronize remaining work between Forecast and DevOps you have to change the Forecast project setting to not calculate the remaining time automatically. To do so, head to the project's settings page in Forecast, click on the Task tab and scroll down to the "Remaining Work Estimate" options. Check the box next to Manually and it is all set.

Data synchronization of Time Registrations

Synchronization of time registrations is one-way. The sum of time entries made against a Forecast task sync to ADO appearing as Completed work.

Work item types synchronized to Forecast

Currently only the following Azure DevOps work item types are synchronized as tasks in Forecast:

Product Backlog Item
User Story
Issue
Bug (depending on the 'Sync bugs in ADO' setting on project)

Azure DevOps work items of type 'Task' will be synchronized to Forecast as sub-tasks only if they have a parent work item in Azure DevOps that is synchronized to a Forecast Task.

Azure DevOps and Forecast task's hierarchy limitations

If Task Hierarchy is enabled in Forecast, there are certain limitations to be aware of when moving DevOps-linked tasks in the hierarchy in Forecast:

Moving a Forecast task under another Forecast task will have no effect in DevOps and will not change the issue type of a task.
Moving a sub-task under another task/sub-task in Forecast also has no effect in DevOps.

What can we help you with?