Release Management
Release (Version) Management maintains and tracks different versions of project deliverables, the planned and release schedule, and issues to resolve in each version. Use Release Management for effective project management supported by various methodologies, such as Agile. Release Management is not only applicable to software development, but any type of project with milestones to reach, manage, and report. Configure with Hybrid methodologies like traditional Waterfall, V-Model, Waterfall with overlapping phases, or Waterfall/V-Model methodologies with Agile implementation.
Codebeamer X releases are modeled as configuration items, leveraging CMDB functions.
Define and Create Release/Milestone
Define and create a release or milestone in Codebeamer X with specific properties by selecting New Sprint in the release configuration Tracker. Codebeamer X's sprint is a type of release development that uses the Scrum framework. In Codebeamer X, view a list of all sprints indented under their parent. Sprints consist of metrics like the number of outstanding or finished items under parent releases. They display statistical aggregation of parent to children information. More functions:
• A release can be created, updated, and deleted updating items in the configuration Tracker
• A release has its own customizable properties
• A release has its own lifecycle driven by customized workflows
• A release can have children in any depth divided into sprints or sub-releases
• A release can be commented on along with attachments
• A release can hold associations to other entities in Codebeamer X
Release Dashboard
Access the Release dashboard by clicking the Releases view for each release or sub-release. On the dashboard, find a statistical overview of releases. Monitor the overall progress of your development with releases and sprints in real time.
To see a list of items associated with a particular version, expand the details by clicking the icon next to the release name. Items are color coded: green indicates resolved, white indicates outstanding. See overdue items and apply various filters like status, users, priority, type, and Project. Access burn-down charts to monitor velocity, a prediction of how much a development team can successfully complete in a fixed period of time.
Display Associated Release/Sprint/Milestone
Expand a release to see detailed information about sub-releases, sprints, and milestones.
See three charts with sprints, story points, and the item number process.
Next to them, find status activity and progress of the release.
Click Show details next to the sprint name to open your dashboard.
Navigate to release planner, cardboard, and coverage pages for more information.
Burn Down Chart
To display the burn-down chart for a release:
1. Go to Sprints/Backlogs.
2. Select Releases.
3. Click 
from the right pane. A Chart configuration window opens.
from the right pane. A Chart configuration window opens.4. Select to display or hide following options:
◦ Show burn down
◦ Show velocity
◦ Show new items
The data source holds item numbers and story points.
Move Open Items to Release/Sprint
To move an open item to a release or sprint:
1. Go to Sprints/Backlogs.
2. Select Releases.
3. Click 
for more options.
for more options.4. Select Send open items to sprint. Open item numbers are indicated in brackets.
Change Release Status
To change the release status:
1. Open the Release details page.
2. Click the 
next to the Status.
next to the Status.3. Select the transition option.
Release Planner
Click the 
to view for a release or sub-release. The Release planner is where a Project is planned with daily task estimation, release, and sprint management. Prioritize items or assign specific releases via drag-and-drop (e.g., move an item from a Project backlog to sprint). Use the Agile method to estimate the complexity of items expressed as story points. Enter a story point value on the center panel or editor. Story point values are automatically aggregated on the right panel. View your release and sprint information on the left panel.
to view for a release or sub-release. The Release planner is where a Project is planned with daily task estimation, release, and sprint management. Prioritize items or assign specific releases via drag-and-drop (e.g., move an item from a Project backlog to sprint). Use the Agile method to estimate the complexity of items expressed as story points. Enter a story point value on the center panel or editor. Story point values are automatically aggregated on the right panel. View your release and sprint information on the left panel.Assign a user with responsibilities under a release in two ways:
• Use the Planner.
• Assign user to a specific role or group and fill in the release property field.
Item Assignment to Release/Sprint/Milestone from Backlog
To assign a user to a specific release or sprint, open the Product backlog under the release planner page. Drag and drop a release or sprint – possible drop areas are highlighted.
To move all items from a sprint or release, find the option from the sprint's context menu.
When you assign an item to a selected sprint, the page reloads with the applied changes.
Item Prioritization
You can prioritize items in planner manually by changing the ordering via drag-and-drop with administrator rights. Refer following steps:
1. Go to Sprints/Backlogs.
2. Select Releases.
3. Click .
.4. Click next to the item.
next to the item.5. Select options as needed. The following options are available:
◦ Send to top
◦ Send to middle
◦ Send to bottom
◦ Sent to top of ordered Product Backlog
◦ Send to middle of ordered Product Backlog
◦ Send to bottom of ordered Product Backlog
◦ Send to unordered Product Backlog
Work Assignment and Story Points
The planner helps balance the workload of your team, especially when using the Agile method with story points.
Assign users to items in two ways:
• Overlay Editor: Click the item on the main panel to edit properties on the right panel.
• Drag-and-drop: Drag the item and drop it on a team user on the left panel under the sprint list.
See item numbers and story points next to each user.
Multiple Assignments to Sprint or Members from Grouped Planner
On the filter panel, group items by properties.
Items are listed under highlighted group names on the main panel.
On the left panel, use the 6-point icon to drag and drop highlighted groups on a sprint or user in one go.
Use Table Header in Planner
The planner's main panel holds a table and sticky header. Change the visibility of columns by clicking the 
at the right-side of the main panel.
at the right-side of the main panel.Filter Options in Planner
Use filters on planner items with Project and Trackers related to the current release. Filter by any Default, References, Custom fields, and other options similar to the tracker view.
Click 
then select your field to set its value.
then select your field to set its value.Click Go on the main panel to reload the page.
Order Options in Planner
To set ordering options in a planner:
1. Go to 
.
.2. Select from Order by section.
from Order by section.3. Select one or more fields to order by.
4. Click Go.
 | If you select order by, ordering via drag-and-drop is not possible. |
Group Options in Planner
To set group options in a planner:
1. Go to .
.2. Select from Group by section.
from Group by section.3. Select one or more fields to group by.
4. Click Go.
AND/OR Logic Option in Planner
You can use AND/OR logic to refine filtering for more than two attributes. By default, conditions use the AND logic.
To set AND/OR logic filter:
1. Go to .
.2. Select 
.
.3. Enter the logic.
4. Click Go.
Default View in Planner
Select a default view in a planner from the View dropdown menu at the top left section of your page.
Selecting a view reloads the main panel instantly.
To set a view to default, click the next to the view's name.
next to the view's name.Create Custom Public/Private View In Planner
To create a custom public or private view in a planner:
1. Go to .
.2. Select .
.3. Modify the filter conditions as needed.
4. Click Save as . A Save as window opens.
5. Enter Name to custom view.
6. Select checkbox to make custom view public.
7. Click Save.
Modify Custom View in View Manager
Custom filters are filters applied by you. To modify custom views:
1. Go to .
.2. Select Properties from Save as list.
3. Modify the filter conditions as needed.
4. Click Save.
Delete Custom View
To delete a custom views:
1. Go to .
.2. Select Delete from Save as list. A confirmation message appears.
3. Click Yes.
| | You cannot delete default views. |
Switch View in Planner to Kanban Board
You can switch between release, planner, and cardboard dashboards from release management dashboard.
To change your view, use the view buttons at the top right corner next to the filter button.
Create Reference Item in Planner
To create a new downstream reference for an item:
1. Go to Sprints/Backlogs.
2. Select Releases.
3. Click .
.4. Click next to the item.
next to the item.5. Click Downstream reference and select a required tracker.
6. Fill out the necessary information and click Save.
Use Multiple Selection option in Planner
Select multiple items to manage them in one go. Select checkboxes by hovering your mouse over the items. Select your items and use drag and drop to assign them to releases, sprints, teams, and users.
Release and Sprint Visibility
Open a planner under a specific release/sprint to see all of its sub-releases, sub-sprints, along with the product backlog.
Click a sub-sprint on the left panel to display assigned items on the main panel.
Kanban board
Use the Kanban methodology to help visualize and manage your workflow. Track and move items, trigger status changes, and define your workflow. Use the cardboard view to easily manage items assigned to different releases, sub-releases, and Trackers. Get an overview of expended resources and Work in Progress (WIP) limits, important for understanding current gaps. Configure swimlanes and more filter options.
Work in Progress (WIP) Limits
Work in progress (WIP) at each workflow stage is limited, pulling new work only when there is available capacity within the local WIP limit.
To set a WIP minimum and maximum column conditions under the cardboard page:
1. Click at top right corner to display Kanban configuration options.
at top right corner to display Kanban configuration options.2. Set your limits and click Save.
Free capacity and overloaded values are indicated at the top of the column.
Group and Filter options in Kanban board
In Kanban board:
1. Go to Swimlane dropdown at the top right corner of the page.
2. Select the option to group cards in a field. These groups become swimlanes you can expand and collapse.
After selecting swimlane option, three new elements are displayed next to the Swimlane:
• Swimlane order by: Define the order of cards in a swimlane.
• Show empty lanes: Switch button to turn visibility on and off.
• : Arrow button to expand or collapse all swimlanes at once.
: Arrow button to expand or collapse all swimlanes at once.Filter general options on the filter panel.
Manage Views in Kanban board
To manage views in kanban board:
1. Select any default view in the Views dropdown.
2. Set a view as default by clicking 
to the view's name. Click 
to remove from default.
to the view's name. Click to remove from default.3. Click at the top right corner of the page to open the filters.
at the top right corner of the page to open the filters.4. Modify conditions and click Go to see applied changes.
5. Modify a default view by clicking Save to save a custom view based on the modified default view.
6. Modify a custom view, select to modify the current view or create a new view based on your custom view. From the Save as dropdown menu to save, click Save.
7. Change the properties of the current custom view by selecting Properties on the Save as dropdown menu.
8. To delete a custom view, open the filter panel by clicking at the top right corner of the page.
at the top right corner of the page.9. Select the custom view you would like to delete.
10. Click Delete from the Save as dropdown menu.
Backlogs
Codebeamer X's backlog is an ordered list of open items to be addressed. There are different types of backlogs:
Product backlog: Consists of open items not scheduled to a release or sprint. In every release planner, find the product backlog tab at the bottom of the left panel.
Release backlog: consists of open items scheduled to a specific release, but no sprint. Prioritize items in this backlog via drag-and-drop.
Sprint backlog: Consists of open items scheduled to a specific sprint, but not yet executed.