Manage Backlog Groups
Backlog groups organize and track functional components of your system in Digital.ai Agility.
Who Manages Backlog Groups
- Product Owners: Create and manage backlog groups to organize work by functional components and track progress.
- Scrum Masters: Assign stories to backlog groups during sprint planning and use groups to filter backlog views.
- Team Members: Assign their stories to appropriate backlog groups and view component-level progress.
- Portfolio Managers: Create hierarchical backlog group structures across projects to track component progress at scale.
Permission Requirement
To view backlog groups, you must have Read access to the Product Planning area. To create, edit, assign stories, close, or view details of backlog groups, you must have Edit access to the Product Planning area. To delete backlog groups, you must have Admin-level permissions. You must select a specific project (not "All Projects") to access the Backlog Groups page.
Access Backlog Groups
To access Backlog Groups from the main menu, click the hamburger icon 
> Product > Backlog Groups.
The Backlog Groups page is divided into two grids:
- Backlog Groups grid shows all the backlog groups in the selected project to which backlog items can be assigned.
- Backlog grid shows the stories that can be assigned to backlog groups.
Create a Backlog Group
- Click the hamburger icon > Product > Backlog Groups.
- Click the Add Backlog Groups button in the top-right corner of the grid.
- Enter the required information and click Save.
If you want to create a child backlog group underneath an existing backlog group, simply drag the backlog group onto a parent backlog group in the grid. Note that parent backlog groups display totals that include all of their backlog and the backlog of their children.
The Manage Relations link on the Add page is where you declare what makes up the backlog group you're adding. Your selection in the project or increment hierarchy determines what selections you'll be able to make in the Manage Relationships section. Only projects below your selection will be available.
Edit or Delete a Backlog Group
- Click the hamburger icon > Product > Backlog Groups.
- If you want to:
- Change the details of a backlog group, click Edit next to the name, enter the details, and click Save.
- Delete a backlog group, select Delete from the Edit dropdown menu and click Delete to confirm.
Assign a Story to a Backlog Group
- Click the hamburger icon > Product > Backlog Groups and scroll to the Backlog grid.
- Click on a row, drag and drop it onto a backlog group in the Backlog Groups grid. The backlog item will remain in the Backlog grid and the Backlog Groups assignment will be updated in the display.
Reassign a Story to a Different Backlog Group
To reassign an item that's already assigned to a backlog group, simply select the backlog item from the Backlog grid and drag the item to the desired backlog group in the Backlog Groups grid.
Note that if an item in one project is assigned to a backlog group that sits in a lower-level project, the item will be automatically moved down into the same project as the backlog group.
When the All Projects level is available and selected in the Project Navigator tree, backlog groups aren't visible. Select a specific project to view and manage the backlog groups applicable to that project.
Close a Backlog Group
Backlog groups can be closed when all stories or backlog items within the backlog group have been completed and no more will be created. Used in this way, backlog groups can represent an evolving set of functionality within the system, each piece with its own lifespan of development. Closed backlog groups can always be reopened if needed.
Some organizations may never close backlog groups. A backlog group such as "Reporting" may always be available for further development. The decision to close backlog groups primarily depends upon the structure and use of backlog groups within the organization: whether they represent ongoing areas or specific, time-boxed functions.
View Backlog Group Details
- Click the hamburger icon > Product > Backlog Groups.
- In the Backlog Groups grid, click on a title to open the details page. From there, you can edit details, participate in conversations, add links and file attachments, and establish or edit relationships with other assets.
The progress bars on the Backlog Groups grid give you a quick view of progress by showing the amount of estimate completed and remaining to be done. The Backlog grid below shows the detailed progress of the backlog items related to each backlog group.
Report on Backlog Groups
The Backlog Groups page only displays the backlog groups at or above the current project level. To view a full list of backlog groups that exist at all levels in the Project Tree, use the Backlog Groups Quicklist report.
In addition, backlog groups can be used as a filter on many common reports such as:
- Burndown
- Velocity Trend
- Cumulative Flow
- Estimate Trend
- Test Run Trend
Troubleshooting
Why can't I create a new backlog group?
You must have Edit access to the Product Planning area and must have a specific project selected (not "All Projects"). Verify your permissions with your administrator and ensure you've selected an appropriate project level in the Project Navigator.
Why can't I drag and drop a story onto a backlog group?
Verify that the story appears in the Backlog grid below the Backlog Groups grid. Only stories visible in the Backlog grid can be assigned. Check your current project selection—the story and backlog group must be compatible based on the project hierarchy. Refresh your browser if drag-and-drop functionality isn't responding.
Why did my story move to a different project when I assigned it to a backlog group?
If an item in one project is assigned to a backlog group in a lower-level project, the item automatically moves down into the same project as the backlog group. This maintains consistency between story location and backlog group assignment. To keep the story in its original project, create the backlog group at a higher level in the project hierarchy.
Why don't I see the backlog group I just created in the Backlog Groups Quicklist report?
The Backlog Groups page displays only groups at or above your current project level, but the Backlog Groups Quicklist report shows all groups across all project levels. Verify you're looking at the correct report and that your newly created backlog group isn't filtered out. Check that the backlog group was successfully saved and appears on the Backlog Groups page.