integrate TFS VSO helpdesk

A helpdesk platform integrated with TFS / VSO

A helpdesk platform integrated with TFS / VSO

We at OneDesk offer an all-in-one cloud based application that handles project management, product management and helpdesk or customer feedback. This application offers a variety of possible integrations with various other applications and programs.

Today, we will discuss the benefits of integrating TFS/VSO (Team Foundation Services and Visual Studio Online) with OneDesk.

Pre-requisites for this little tutorial :

  • A OneDesk account (even the free trial works)
  • Your TFS / VSO account
  • A Zapier account

What is Zapier:

Zapier is an online automation tool, it allows you to connect various apps together through a simple process.

The system works like this: if an event happens in platform “A”, then take another action in platform “B”. Simple eh?

These automations are called Zaps.

You can extend them as you need, through multiple platforms, and create simple series of automated processes.

We use this to bridge the gap between OneDesk and hundreds of web applications (some that you may you make use of).

What is OneDesk:

OneDesk is used to handle product management and customer support ticketing in the same platform.

As a centralized helpdesk platform, it includes a customer portal, delivering email-integrated support-ticket software and a place for customers to vote and participate in your plans. OneDesk also offers a mobile application that grants the ability to log work times and deal with specific tasks even when away from your desk.

It is also a centralized product management platform that enables road-mapping, managing and tackling ideas, checking requirements on tasks, and structuring releases and products.

OneDesk handles all things ranging from support tickets & ideas to requirements, features & tasks. This versatility can therefore be used to create various types of business workflows.

This application ensures a simple and unified interface for all of your departments and teams. That way they can work together and be more efficient for it!

OneDesk also offers a variety of tools and features that complement any workplace or business style. Things like the customer portal, the work timer, prepackaged reporting options, and complex stackable filters make OneDesk a very customizable and valuable platform for any business.

OneDesk also allows for useful navigation and viewing options like a traditional tiered parent directory, a timeline, or a cards view.

what you could do with OneDesk:

I’ve already explained how Zapier’s Zaps function in “a trigger causes an action” format (much in the same manner as IFTTT does).

For example anytime you create a work item in TFS / VSO, it can create an item in OneDesk and, consequently, subsequent updates in either platform will then update its counterpart.

This formula functions in this manner : new work item in TFS / VSO (Trigger) leads to the creation of an item in OneDesk (Action).

And would work much the same way in reverse, as such : a new support ticket in OneDesk becomes a bug (Trigger), which leads to the creation of a work item in TFS / VSO (Action).

diagram-zap1

Other examples of workflows include:

“Feature” in OneDesk is approved   ====>   new epic is created in TFS/VSO

Status of Epic is updated in TFS/VSO  ====>   status of “Feature” is updated in OneDesk.

(note: any types of work item can be synced, and many other properties can be synced as well.)

Simple actions like this can be used to create, update, and notify the required personnel of the new work item and its development.

You can also keep comments synchronized on both platforms. You could even send automated team room messages in response to a specific event.

It’s really up to you what you need to happen and how it should be done!

More information:

Check out this page for more information on how to connect to TFS / VSO using OneDesk. Or, search for the quick how-to guide on our in-application help menu. You could also just book a demo with us!

Photo Credit: Michael Hicks / CC BY

2 thoughts on “A helpdesk platform integrated with TFS / VSO”

  1. 1. A Changeset is a set of files and work items associated together at the time of check-in. which of the following statements are true about Changesets in TFS?
    Select one or more:
    a. All the changes are unique
    b. TFS will generate a changeset number once all the files are transferred
    c. All the changes are random
    d. All the changes are constant.
    2. We can set up Source code check-in policy on TFS. State true or false.**
    Select one
    A. True
    B. False
    3. TFS can integrate with most of the OSS tools through webhooks. State TRU or false.
    A. True
    B. False
    4. Environmental variables can be accessed with build definition in TFS. So that they can be used during the run time
    A .true
    B.false
    5. Considering a scenario where the publish artifact task is on TFS. what values can be selected for the artifact type take?
    a. Build definition, file share
    b. Build definition, file share
    c. File share, server
    d. Database, server
    6. Consider a scenario in TFS where Steve has developed and deployed two test versions of an application and he now needs to compare those two versions. In this scenario, what should Steve implement?

    a. Test servers
    b. Feature flags
    c. Canary release
    d. Reverse proxy
    7. Identify the different stages that will form the pipeline when building the release pipeline in TFS.
    a. None of the listed below
    b. User acceptance testing
    c. Version control
    d. Management sign-off
    e. Release
    8. Consider a scenario where we add sonar as a service on TFS. In this case what best values each field should get? “ADD Sonarqube connection”

    a. Testing, some random url, sonar password
    b. None of the above listed
    c. Admin, admin, admin
    d. Uniquely identifiable server name, sonar url, security token generated from sonar administration
    e. Uniquely identifiable server name, sonar url, sonar password

    9. Listed are the snippets of the sonar task in TFS for a project named sample application. Select the most appropriate values, which each field can have. “Sonarqube project settings”

    a. Sonar , sonarsamle application, sonar1.0
    b. SAMPLE APPLICATION, sampleapplication, 1.0
    c. Test,sampleaplication,1.0
    d. SAPPN/SAMPLE APPLICATION ,SAMPLE APPLICATION, $(build.buildid)

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