Troubleshooting Azure DevOps

Our Azure DevOps integration allows your team to transition seamlessly from product discovery to product delivery. There are a few common scenarios you may encounter while configuring this integration. If you encounter a scenario that isn't listed below, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team.

In this article:

Relevant to both new and legacy boards

Sync issues from Azure DevOps to Productboard

Issue description

It could happen that your data no longer syncs from Azure DevOps to Productboard. If this is the case, make sure your integrations have permissions to modify webhook subscriptions in Azure DevOps. This will be visible in the token status section under your integration settings in Productboard.

Issue resolution

To resolve this issue, ensure the user has the appropriate permissions, and that the account is a member of the Project Collection Service Account or Project Collection Administrators groups in Azure DevOps.

Detailed instructions can be found on the authorization screen in settings where a new auth token can be entered.

Once permissions have been updated, the integration will synchronize fields within approximately one day. Alternately, reauthorizing the integration using a new token will force new sync.

To reauthorize the integration, first, you need to deactivate it. To do so:

    1. Go to the top left menu > Integrations page:

      Screen_Shot_2023-04-05_at_4.41.39_PM.png

    2. Turn the integration toggle off:

      Azure DevOps deactivated

Now that the integration is deactivated, you can remove it by following these steps:

  1. Go back to the top left menu > Integrations page.
  2. Click the integration you wish to remove. Then click Remove to delete the integration.

    Screenshot_82.png

Solving the Partially valid token status

Issue description

If you see Partially valid: Data synchronization from Azure DevOps to Productboard won't work.,below your Token Status, this means your integration is working but certain functionality in your integration will be limited (e.g. no status synchronization).

Screenshot_2020-10-19_at_16.32.51.png

There are two situations in which this error can happen, which we'll cover below.

Issue resolution

Situation 1: The Azure DevOps administrator who created the token does not have high enough access.

What went wrong: The administrator who created the integration using his personal access token is not part of the "Project Collection Service Accounts" or "Project Collection Administrators" group.

How to solve it: Ask your Azure DevOps Administrator to include the administrator who created this integration in the "Project Collection Service Accounts" or "Project Collection Administrators" group.

See Microsoft documentation about permissions in Azure DevOps here.

Situation 2: The Read & Write Access for the Notifications has not been checked.

What went wrong: The administrator who created the integration using his personal access token forgot to give a Read & Write permission for Notifications. In this case, the status synchronization is not going to work because the Notification permission read & write access was not checked. Therefore, Productboard is unable to update it.

How to solve it: The administrator who created and set up the integration has to go to his personal access token and check the Read & Write Access for the Notifications.

Solving the Invalid token status

Issue description

If you see Invalid below your Token Status, this means your Productboard <> Azure DevOps integration will not work.

Screenshot_2020-10-20_at_11.42.31.png

There are three situations in which this error can happen, which we'll cover below.

Issue resolution

Situation 1: Your token has expired

What went wrong: The maximum expiration length of the personal access token is one year. Therefore, the token has expired and your administrator needs to extend it.

How to solve it:
1. Go to your personal access token settings
2. Click edit on the Productboard <> Azure DevOps integration token
3. Click on the calendar and extended it by another year.

Situation 2: The required access has not been checked

What went wrong: If the Read & Write access for Work items has not been checked, Productboard is not going to be able to make any modifications.

How to solve it:
1. Log in as an administrator of that personal access token
2. Go to your personal access token settings
3. Click on Read & Write access for Work Items and Notifications

Situation 3: Something mysterious...let us help!

What went wrong: If none of the resolutions above works, then the issue can be either on the Azure DevOps side or on the Productboard side.

How to solve it: In this case, reach out to our customer support who will help identify the issue and escalate it to the appropriate teams.

Limiting Productboard's access to sensitive information in Azure DevOps

Users can limit Productboard's access to sensitive information from within their Azure DevOps instance. Access can be restricted in two ways:

  1. Limit the access of the Azure DevOps user who authorized the Productboard integration
  2. Limit the permissions of the Personal Access Token used to authenticate the integration.

For more information about Azure DevOps security, see Azure DevOps - FAQs.

Azure DevOps on-premise: the address does not exist / there is a timeout / the address is unavailable.

Issue description

You might encounter any of the following errors when setting up your Azure DevOps on-premise integration: 

  • The address does not exist
  • There is a timeout
  • The address is unavailable
  • or any similar message

Issue resolution

Your Azure DevOps on-premise setup needs to be in a public network, with a public IP address, for the Azure DevOps integration to work. The IP address can be inaccessible from the Internet generally but made accessible to Productboard.

If you are encountering these errors after following our instructions, reach out to your system administrator with the information above.

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