What Is Team Foundation?

Team Foundation Server is a Microsoft TFS product designed to enable teams to collaborate and manage their projects efficiently. It encompasses a suite of tools that support version control, issue tracking, and application lifecycle management, aimed at improving team productivity and project oversight.

Created in 2005, Team Foundation Server has significantly evolved to address the growing needs of development teams, particularly in areas where user experience was historically not a primary focus for Microsoft. It offers a dedicated ALM tool and has been a preferred choice for Agile development, especially in organizations that benefit from existing Microsoft licenses.

Despite the advent of distributed version control systems like Git, Microsoft TFS continues to be a viable option for certain companies. It may be favored due to factors such as team size, geographic distribution of developers, management of large files, and specific automation requirements.

Team Foundation Version Control, a key component of Team Foundation Server, is a centralized version control system that maintains historical data on the server, permitting a single version of each file on development machines. It also allows granular access control and provides straightforward auditing of changes made to files, thus streamlining the process of code review and accountability.

Team Foundation Plugins for Excel

Team Foundation Office Integration Add-in

The Team Foundation Office Integration Add-in is a free tool that allows for the integration of Team Foundation Services with Microsoft Excel. It is an Excel add-in that facilitates bulk import and updating of work items, enhancing productivity and project management capabilities. This add-in requires running Excel as an administrator and adds a dedicated Team ribbon to Excel for easier access to its features.

Azure DevOps Office Integration Add-in

For integrating Team Foundation Service with Office, the Azure DevOps Office Integration Add-in is used. It is necessary to have an installed version of Visual Studio or the free Azure DevOps Office Integration 2019 to utilize this add-in for Excel. However, this add-in does not support the TFSFieldMapping command, which is also not supported by Visual Studio 2019 and Azure DevOps Office Integration 2019.

Compatibility and Support

The Team Foundation Office Integration Add-in supports various platforms and versions, such as Azure DevOps Server 2019 and later, Azure DevOps Services, and GANTT charts. Contrary to some information, it is indeed supported on Visual Studio 2019. It should be noted, however, that it does not support Microsoft Project integration or the TFSFieldMapping command.

Installation and Troubleshooting

To install the software, either the Azure DevOps Office Integration Add-in or the Team Foundation Office Integration Add-in can be used. In cases where the Team ribbon does not open the New List dialog in Excel, repairing Visual Studio may be necessary. If there are errors when refreshing and publishing, clearing the IdentityService folder may resolve these issues. Additionally, running the Gacutil tool can help ensure that the Team Foundation Add-in loads properly in Excel.

Common Use Cases

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  Bulk editing of TFS Work Items directly within Excel
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  Importing data from other sources into TFS using Excel
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  Updating multiple fields at once for efficiency
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  Non-developers managing TFS Work Items using familiar Excel interface
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  Connecting to TFS instances or VSTS accounts through Excel without full Visual Studio or Team Explorer

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the system requirements for using the Team Foundation plugin for Excel?

The plugin requires an installed version of Visual Studio or Azure DevOps Office Integration 2019, and Microsoft Excel 2010 or later versions, including Microsoft Office Excel 365.

How do I resolve authentication errors after changing my password?

Authentication errors after a password change may be due to a token issue, which can be resolved by removing the token from the registry.

What should I do if I encounter the 'Unable to cast COM object...' error message when opening a TFS work item list in Excel?

This error can occur when opening a TFS work item list in Excel from Team Explorer. It might be necessary to update the registry LoadBehavior value to 3 or repair Visual Studio.

Can the Team Foundation plugin for Excel support Microsoft Project Integration?

No, the Microsoft Project Integration and the TFSFieldMapping command are not supported for Visual Studio 2019 and later versions. Alternatives include delivery plans and Marketplace extensions.

How can I handle publishing errors in Excel when using the Team Foundation plugin?

Publishing errors can occur due to data conflicts, validation errors, or inaccuracies in summary values. Invalid links in a tree list also need to be corrected before publishing.