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Azure DevOps Connector

This connector integrates Alvao with Azure DevOps, streamlining ticket management and communication.

Key features include:

  • Create Azure DevOps work items directly from Alvao for a seamless workflow.
  • Ensure consistent ticket statuses with automatic bidirectional synchronization.
  • Keep messages and attachments in sync between both platforms for effective collaboration.
  • Access Azure DevOps work items directly from Alvao for quick and easy navigation.

Example process:

The Development ticket status is mapped on the To Do Azure DevOps work item status in this example. When a ticket in Alvao goes into this status, a work item of defined type is created in Azure DevOps. When the work item enters the Doing status, the ticket automatically goes to the Development pending status. After resolution of the work item (Done status), the ticket in Alvao transits to the Testing status.

Technical requirements​

SaaS​

  • ALVAO ITSM or Service Desk subscription

On-premise installations​

  • ALVAO Service Desk
  • User authentication using Microsoft Entra ID
  • Alvao REST API accessible from internet

Installation​

Administrator rights are required for the installation.

  1. Download the AzureDevOpsConnector.zip package.

  2. In the Administration - Service Desk - Services tree, select the folder where you want to import the sample service to connect to Azure DevOps, and use the Import command to load the AzureDevOpsConnectorServiceEnu.xml file, which is included in the AzureDevOpsConnector.zip file.

  3. Go to Administration - Applications, select the Azure DevOps Connector application, and enable it using the Enable command.

    Manual download: AzureDevOpsConnectorApp.xml

Azure DevOps Personal Access Token​

  1. In Azure DevOps, create a Personal Access Token (PAT) with Work Items - Read & Write, User Profile – Read, Work Items – Read and Write permissions.
  2. Go to the Administration - Settings - Advanced page. Use the New setting command to create the DevOpsIntegrationToken0 setting. Enter the PAT token from Azure DevOps as the setting value.
tip

You can use multiple access tokens if, for example, you need to integrate Azure DevOps from different organizations into Alvao. Create a new setting and increment the number at the end of the setting name. Then use this number in the AccessToken item in the service setting below.

Setting up Azure DevOps​

  1. In Azure DevOps in a given project, use Project Settings - Service hooks - Create subscription.
  2. Select Web Hooks as the service type and press Next.
  3. Under Trigger on this type of event, select Work item updated.
  4. In Field, select the State option. Press the Next button.
  5. In the URL entry, enter the URL of the AlvaoRestApi application, followed by the path "/Connectors/DevOpsCallback", e.g.: https://contoso.alvao.com/AlvaoRestApi/Connectors/DevOpsCallback
  6. Select None under Messages to send.
  7. In Detailed messages to send, also select None and press Finish.

Setting up service in Alvao​

  1. In Administration - Service Desk - Services, select the service you want to connect to Azure DevOps and use Edit - Properties.

  2. In the Other section, find the External Application - Connector Settings custom field and edit the value.

    The default value:

{
    "ConnectorType": "AzureDevOps",
    "URL": "https://dev.azure.com/Alvao/Alvaoproject",
    "AccessToken": "0",
    "AttributeMap": {
        "System.Title": "[$TicketTitle$]",
        "System.Description": "[$LatestImportantMessage$]",
        "System.WorkItemType": "Task"
    },
    "StatusMap": {
        "To Do": "Development",
        "Doing": "Development pending",
        "Done": "Testing"
    },
    "SyncCommunication": true,
    "DisplayOpenExternalCommand": true,
    "TicketReporter": "Requester"
}

Legend:

  • ConnectorType - enter the text AzureDevOps.

  • URL - enter the URL of the Azure DevOps project in the form https://dev.azure.com/\{organization}/\{project}

    Example: https://dev.azure.com/Alvao/Alvaoproject

  • AccessToken - enter the Personal Access Token (PAT) setting number that you used in advanced settings (typically 0).

  • AttributeMap - specify the list of Azure DevOps work item fields and their values. You can use the same variables in the values, as for the status change notification template to requesters.

  • StatusMap – specify the mapping of the Azure DevOps work item statuses to Alvao ticket statuses. When first moving to a status in Alvao that is present in the mapping, a work item is created in Azure DevOps. The created work item's id is stored in the External Application – the ticket ID custom field. Status synchronization occurs when the status changes in either Alvao or Azure DevOps.

    Statuses in Alvao are in Alvao’s default language, while statuses in Azure DevOps are in Azure DevOps’s default language.

  • SyncCommunication – (true | false). If enabled each ticket communication record (email message, note, etc.) is propagated as a comment of the related Azure DevOps work item, and every work item comment in Azure DevOps is logged in Alvao ticket communication and the ticket assignee is notified by email or MS Teams bot.

  • ShowOpenExternalTicketCommand – (true | false). If enabled or undefined, the Open related Azure DevOps ticket command is displayed on the Ticket page of each synchronized ticket.

  • TicketReporter – choose who will be designated as the Azure DevOps work item's reporter:

    • Default – the user whose PAT is used in the connector configuration.
    • Requester – the Alvao ticket requester; The Alvao user is paired with Azure DevOps user by username. If no matching Azure DevOps user is found, the Default option is used.
    • Specific Azure DevOps user's username, e.g., user@contoso.com.