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name: work-item-fields description: Reference for Azure DevOps work item fields, link types, and states. Use when the user needs to know field names, field paths, reference names, link types, or work item type configurations. Use when user mentions "field name", "field path", "what field", "link type", "relation type", "parent child", "work item type", or needs to set/update specific work item properties.

Azure DevOps Work Item Fields Reference (Verified)

System Fields (All Work Item Types)

Common Fields by Category

Scheduling

Priority & Severity

Bug-Specific

Link Types (VERIFIED from az boards work-item relation list-type)

Verified CLI Commands for Fields and Links

List all relation types

Copyaz boards work-item relation list-type -o table

Show work item with relations

Copyaz boards work-item relation show --id 123 -o json

Add parent-child relationship

Copy# Add child link (work item 123 becomes parent of 456)
az boards work-item relation add --id 123 --relation-type "Child" --target-id 456 -o json

# Add parent link (work item 123 becomes child of 789)
az boards work-item relation add --id 123 --relation-type "Parent" --target-id 789 -o json

# Add related link
az boards work-item relation add --id 123 --relation-type "Related" --target-id 456 -o json

Note: Friendly Names vs Reference Names

The CLI uses friendly names (from the "Name" column), not reference names:

• Use "Parent" not "System.LinkTypes.Hierarchy-Reverse"
• Use "Child" not "System.LinkTypes.Hierarchy-Forward"
• Use "Related" not "System.LinkTypes.Related"

Tip: Run az boards work-item relation list-type -o table to see all available friendly names in the "Name" column.

Create with fields

Copyaz boards work-item create \
  --type "Bug" \
  --title "Login fails" \
  --fields "Microsoft.VSTS.Common.Priority=1" \
           "Microsoft.VSTS.Common.Severity=2 - High" \
           "System.Tags=urgent;login" \
  -o json

Update fields

Copyaz boards work-item update \
  --id 123 \
  --state "In Progress" \
  --assigned-to "user@example.com" \
  --fields "Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.RemainingWork=4" \
  -o json

Add comment (discussion)

Copyaz boards work-item update --id 123 --discussion "This is my comment" -o json

List All Fields in Project

Copyaz boards work-item list-fields -o table

Field Gotchas

1. Identity fields: Use email or display name, not GUID
2. HTML fields: Wrap in HTML tags: <p>Description</p>
3. TreePath fields: Use backslash: Project\Area\SubArea
4. Tags: Semicolon-separated in API, comma-separated in CLI
5. DateTime: ISO 8601 format: 2024-01-15T10:30:00Z
6. Double fields: Use decimal: 4.5 not 4,5
7. State values: Must match exactly including case - check your process template