Deleting a Story or Backlog Item
This article explains how to delete a delete a Story or Backlog Itemin Agility.
Overview
You should only delete a story (also called a Backlog Item) if it should not have existed in the first place (duplicate, created in error, etc.). If it was actually used for tracking, however, it should be closed instead of deleted. This will keep the item available for historical reporting purposes.
What Happens When You Delete a Backlog Item
Deleting a story hides all references to it in the system.
- When a story is deleted, it's child items (tasks and sets), attachments, and links are also deleted.
- Some items in hierarchies can not be deleted if child items exist. For example, you cannot delete a parent portfolio item if child portfolio items and backlog items exist under it. You must first delete (or move) the children before deleting the parent. Some assets also have additional rules regarding deletions.
If a backlog item that has effort tracked against it is deleted, the effort will still be counted and visible on list reports.
Option 1. In Any Grid
Locate the item you want to delete, select Delete from the Edit drop-down button.
Option 2. On an Asset Details Page
- Click on a title or ID anywhere within the application.
- On the asset details page, select Delete from the Edit drop-down button.
- Click Delete to confirm.
Locating and Recovering Deleted Items
Option 1. In Recent Changes
All of your deleted items display in your Recent Changes list. So, if you realize just a bit too late that the item you just deleted shouldn't have been, it can be viewed and accessed from that list.
Option 2. Using Advanced Search
The Advanced Search allows you to search for an item that may have been deleted by mistake by you or anyone else. So, in cases where you don't know who deleted the item or just have a feeling that something used to be there and is no longer, you can just enter your search criteria and select Deleted from the advanced search page to return any deleted assets that match the search criteria.
Option 3. Using the API
Deleted items can also be viewed through an API query. Below is a query example that would return all deleted backlog items in XML format.
<http://%28server%29/(VersionOne)/rest-1.v1/Data/Story?where=IsDeleted=%27True>
Be sure to replace this portion of the URL:
<http://%28server%29/(VersionOne)/>
to match the initial URL of the Digital.ai Agility system that you use. The query above can be further refined by adding a 'where' clause, or by selecting certain attributed to be returned. Please see the rest-1.v1/Data topic for more information on how to refine your query.
Recovering Deleted Items
If an item is deleted by mistake, in most cases (some item types such as list values or custom fields cannot be undeleted) you can use the Undo Delete to reverse the deletion and bring it back into the system. Any previous relationships will be re-established with the undo delete, including any links and attachments, child tasks or tests, etc. The Undo Delete is available as an action on the details page of the item as well as in the Deleted view of the Advanced Search page.
If you undo the delete of an item that caused cascaded deletes down to child items (e.g. tasks, tests, links or attachments), Undoing that delete will restore the child items that were deleted at that same time.
Related concepts
Managing Stories Backlog Items