Azure DevOps: Common Problems

Before you start syncing Azure DevOps (ADO) work items, here are a few common problems you might encounter and troubleshooting tips to resolve them.

In this article:

Some of my Azure DevOps fields aren't syncing 2-ways

Not all fields available in Unito can support two-way sync. For example, acceptance criteria in Azure DevOps can only be synced one-way.  

When in doubt, create a custom field!

Azure DevOps has its own unique features, data structures, and capabilities, just like every other tool supported by Unito. These distinct characteristics may occasionally lead to issues or limitations. Luckily, these issues can often be solved by adding custom fields to your projects!

Creating a custom field in Azure DevOps

Syncing unique fields from ADO to Jira

For example, the "Acceptance Criteria" field in ADO doesn't have a native equivalent in Jira. But you can create one as a custom field specifically for this purpose. 

The same is true of Effort, Story Points, Swimlane, and Unique Identifier among others.

Syncing unique fields from Jira to ADO

Conversely, Affected Versions and Fix Versions have no equivalent field in Azure DevOps, but they can easily be created as custom fields, which Unito can then sync to.

I'm using the default rules, so why aren't my work items syncing?

Certain default rules and status mappings can prevent data from syncing over without modifications.

For instance, if your rules are set to sync only specific task types (e.g., only issues), but your status mappings allow for different task types (e.g., epics or tasks), you might encounter sync errors.

Syncing one type of work item in rules, then another in field mappings can cause errors:

In this example below, the flow rules state that only issues will sync with Unito, while the field mappings show tasks and epics in sync. As a result, this flow will encounter numerous errors since the rules determine what data can sync and what data cannot. 

Azure Rules

Azure Fields

Solution: Make sure to include the same work item types in your rules as your field mappings. In the above example, the user could simply select all work item types that apply (or at least appear in their field mappings) or remove work item types from their field mappings if they don't also appear in their rules.

Need more assistance?

While Unito strives to provide seamless syncing between ADO and other tools, some limitations may be encountered due to system-specific constraints. Submit a Unito feature request to let us know what you'd like to see in the next update to our Azure DevOps integration!

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