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Use Grids

Grids form the basis of most page views in Agility. They are customizable lists of data that can be filtered, sorted, and edited directly within the view.

Who uses grids​

All Agility users work with grids daily:

  • Team members: View and update assigned work items in sprint and backlog grids
  • Product owners: Prioritize stories, estimate work, and plan releases using backlog grids
  • Scrum masters: Monitor team progress and facilitate planning with sprint grids
  • Administrators: Manage users, projects, and configuration using admin grids

Permission note: Your project role determines which grids you can access and whether you can edit data. Read-only users can view and export grids but cannot make inline edits.

What are grids​

Grids display work items, projects, and other data in a structured table format. The default view shows the most commonly used data, but you can customize grids to show different columns, make fields editable, change sort order, or filter results to show specific types of items.

Grid capabilities​

  • View data: Display work items, projects, and other Agility objects in organized lists
  • Customize columns: Add, remove, or reorder columns to show relevant information
  • Edit in place: Make columns editable to update data directly in the grid
  • Filter and sort: Apply filters and sorting to find specific items quickly
  • Export data: Export grid contents to Excel or Microsoft Project
  • Bulk actions: Perform operations on multiple items at once

Context filtering​

Metrics shown in grids are filtered based on the global context filter (also called project or planning level filter). For most assets in Agility this is not an issue; however, for assets with associations that span the planning level hierarchy, some columns may present different values than what appears on the asset details page (because details pages do not consider the planning level hierarchy).

Getting started with grids​

Effective grid usage involves understanding these key capabilities:

  1. Learn the basics: Understand sorting, drag and drop, and grid actions. For more information, see Grid Basics.
  2. Customize your view: Add or remove columns, make fields editable, and adjust row counts. For more information, see Change Your Grid View.
  3. Export data: Export grid data to Excel or Microsoft Project for external analysis. For more information, see Export Grid Data.
  4. Apply filters: Use filters to narrow down data to specific items. For more information, see Apply Filters to Grids.

Common Use Cases​

Backlog grooming workflow​

A Product Owner prepares for backlog grooming by opening the Product Backlog grid, clicking the sort icon on the Priority column to order stories by priority, then customizing the grid to add an Estimate column. They make the Estimate column editable, allowing them to double-click and enter story point estimates for 20 stories directly in the grid without opening individual story details. After completing estimates, they export the grid to Excel to share with stakeholders during the grooming session.

Sprint planning preparation​

A Scrum Master prepares for sprint planning by customizing the Sprint Planning grid to show columns for Story, Owner, Estimate, Tasks, and Tests. They make the Status column editable to enable quick status updates during planning. After configuring the perfect layout, they save it as a My View called "Sprint Planning Setup" so they can instantly load this configuration at the start of every sprint without reconfiguring columns each time.

Bulk test assignment​

A QA Lead views the Test grid filtered to show only tests with status "Ready for Test". They select 15 tests by checking the boxes next to each item, then use the bulk action menu to change the status to "In Progress" for all 15 tests simultaneously. They assign all selected tests to themselves using another bulk action, completing what would have taken 30 individual updates in just two operations.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Are my grid customizations visible to other users?

No, grid customizations are personal by default. Other users see their own grid configurations. However, you can share your grid configuration via URL by copying the My View link and sending it to colleagues. They can then save their own copy of your configuration.

Why do some columns show different values than the detail page?

Grids apply context filtering based on your selected planning level. For assets with associations spanning multiple planning levels (like portfolio items), grid columns may show filtered values while detail pages show all related data regardless of planning level. This is intentional to maintain consistency with your selected context.

Why can't I make a column editable?

You may have read-only permissions on the project. Contact your administrator to verify your project role allows editing. Only users with appropriate permissions can configure editable columns and modify data inline.

Why isn't my export working?

Your browser may be blocking downloads. Check your browser's download settings and allow downloads from your Agility workspace URL. If the issue persists, try a different browser or contact your administrator to verify export permissions.

Why does my grid load slowly with many items?

Grids with hundreds or thousands of items can take longer to load. Apply filters to reduce the number of displayed items, or adjust the items per page setting to show fewer rows. If performance issues persist, contact your administrator to adjust default row count settings.

Why did I lose my grid customization?

Grid customizations are browser-specific and stored in browser local storage. If you clear your browser cache, switch browsers, or use a different device, your customizations won't carry over. Use My Views to save grid configurations that persist across browsers and devices.