How to customise work item types in Almo
Customising work item types in Almo means controlling the list of Azure DevOps types you see in the add-in, and the order they appear in. Almo arrives with the most common Azure DevOps types ready to go, so most teams can start without changing anything. You customise the list for two reasons: your organisation uses bespoke work item types that Almo does not show out of the box, or you want a shorter, focused list of only the types you actually work with. This guide covers what work item types are, where to customise them, how to add bespoke types, and how to reorder or remove the ones Almo shows.
What are work item types in Almo?
Work item types are the categories Azure DevOps uses for the things a team tracks, such as Feature, Bug, Task, and Issue. In Almo, the Supported Work Items list controls which of these appear when you create or open a work item. You decide which types Almo shows, and the order they appear in, from the Customise Work Item Types screen.
The types Almo shows by default
Almo comes pre-configured with the most common Azure DevOps types: Feature, Task, Bug, Product Backlog Item, and Issue. These match the standard Azure DevOps process templates, so most teams can start straight away. The list is worth changing when your projects use custom types, or when some of the defaults are not relevant to how you work.
How to customise work item types in Almo
- Open the Supported Work Items setting. In the Almo pane, open Settings. In the Work Item card, select the Customise link next to Supported Work Items.
- Review what Almo already shows. The Customise Work Item Types screen opens with a Supported Work Items section at the top, listing the types Almo currently displays with a tick beside each.
- Add types from All Work Items. Below it, the All Work Items section lists every work item type your connected Azure DevOps projects define, including any custom types your team has added. Tick the ones you want Almo to show. To find a type quickly, type its name into the search field at the top.
- Set the order, then save. Use Reorder to arrange the types, clear the tick on any you do not need, and select Save.
Adding a custom work item type
Any work item type defined in your connected Azure DevOps projects appears under All Work Items, including custom types your team has created. Tick the type to move it into Supported Work Items, then save. If a custom type is not in the list, the project that defines it is most likely not connected yet; connect that organisation first, then reopen the screen.
Reordering the list
The order of types under Supported Work Items is the order they appear when you create or change a work item in Almo. Select Reorder to move the types you use most to the top, so they are the first options you reach for, then save to apply the new order.
Removing a type you do not use
To take a type off the menu, clear its tick under Supported Work Items and save. This only changes what Almo shows you. The work item type, and any items already created with it, stay in Azure DevOps.
When your changes take effect
Your selection applies as soon as you save, and Almo’s create and edit menus show the updated list right away. Because Almo settings roam across the devices where you use it, the same list follows you between Windows, Mac, and Outlook on the web. You can return to the Customise Work Item Types screen whenever your process changes.
The same Settings area holds Almo’s other options. Customise Almo with the Setting Screen walks through them, and Change your Working Project in Almo covers switching the project Almo focuses on.
Troubleshooting work item types
Why is a work item type missing from the All Work Items list? A type appears only if one of your connected Azure DevOps projects defines it. If a custom type lives in a project you have not connected, connect that organisation first, then reopen the screen.
Can I add custom work item types my team created in Azure DevOps? Yes. Any custom type defined in your connected projects shows under All Work Items. Tick it and save, and it appears in Almo alongside the standard types.
Will removing a type delete its work items? No. Clearing a type from Supported Work Items only hides it from Almo’s menus. The type, and every work item created with it, stay in Azure DevOps.
Do my work item type settings apply on my other devices? Yes. Almo settings roam with your account, so the types you enable follow you across Windows, Mac, and Outlook on the web.
How do I change the order the types appear in? Open the Customise Work Item Types screen, select Reorder, arrange the types, and save. The order you set is the order Almo shows them in.
Almo, set to your team’s process
Setting Almo’s work item types to match your Azure DevOps process means the menus you use every day show the types your team works with, and nothing it does not. The screen takes a moment to set up, and you can return to it whenever your process changes.
If anything on this screen does not behave as described here, the Almo team can help. Write to [email protected] or raise a support ticket from inside Almo.