Preparing a to-do list will help you ensure you complete everything that the work item entails on time. A checklist serves as a rudimentary item plan that you define right before you start work on an item.
Benefits of checklist
- Analyze the work item's progress effectively
- Ensure all aspects of the work item are covered
- Add multiple checklists
- Group similar sets of to-do-lists
- Complete or reopen them anytime
Example
Let's assume you are a marketing team and you are about to release a new webpage on your product website. Publishing a webpage comes with a few considerations that need to be handled. You can create a checklist for this item.
Checklist Name - Prerequisites for webpage release
- Update latest content in the backend content management tool
- Cross check with the UI team for design approval
- Check for CTAs (Call to actions)
- Link to social media sites
- SEO optimization
- Include blog, help center, support links to the website
- Upload videos and images to relevant feature descriptions
- Check whether the website work across browsers
- Include search bar
- Copy rights
- Publish
After all the prerequisites are fulfilled, you are ready to publish your webpage.
Difference between checklists and subitems
Subitems are secondary entities that are treated as work items. They require time and effort on their own. However, a checklist is just a to-do list that you use to build the work item at hand. It's not treated as an individual work item that you require to complete in order to move the parent item to a closed status.
Add checklist
You can have multiple sets of to-do lists grouped under one name.
To create a checklist:
- Go to the item details page of the work item.
- Go to the Checklist tab.
- Click the +Checklist button. The Add Checklist Group window will appear.
- Enter Group name under which the checklist will be added.
- Enter Checklist Name which is the prerequisite you need fulfilled.
- Assign users.
- Make the checklist public for your team or keep it private for your reference.
- Assign priority.
- Click the Create button. The checklist is created.
Click the More Checklist link to add more checklists under this group.
Reorder checklist
To reorder checklist items in a group:
- Go to the item details page of the work item.
- Go to the Checklist tab.
- Click the Reorder link.
- Drag and drop the checklist items to change the order. Or, modify the sequence numbers. The checklist will be reordered.
Sort checklist
To sort checklist:
- Go to the item details page of the work item.
- Go to the Checklist tab.
- Click the Sort icon.
- Select the required criteria to sort. The checklist items are sorted according to the selection.
Edit checklist
To edit checklist items in a group:
- Go to the item details page of the work item.
- Go to the Checklist tab.
- Hover over the required checklist.
- Click the Edit link.
- Make the required changes.
- Click the Update button. The changes will be saved.
To edit checklist group, hover over the group and click the Edit link.
Delete checklist
To delete checklist items in a group:
- Go to the item details page of the work item.
- Go to the Checklist tab.
- Hover over the required checklist.
- Click the Delete link. A confirmation pop-up will appear.
- Click the Delete button. The checklist will be removed.
To delete checklist group, hover over the group and click the Delete link.
Complete checklist
To complete a checklist item:
- Go to the Checklist tab.
- Select the checkbox inline with the checklist. The checklist is completed and is denoted by it being struck out.
Deselect the checkbox to reopen the checklist.
Make an item
You can turn a checklist item into a work item if it requires that kind of time and effort.
To Make an item:
- Go to the item details page of the work item.
- Go to the Checklist tab.
- Hover over the required checklist.
- Click the Make it an item link. The Create Item window will appear.
- Enter required details and click the Create button. The checklist item is also added as a work item.