How do we use the Microsoft provided template Excel file containing work item types, fields, etc?

[merago-jert]

So, we have been using the busniess process model approach in ADO for a little while now, but have recently started looking at the updated approach, which, the documentation states can be expedited by importing a Microsoft provided template file in to ADO for creating the work item types, fields, iterations, area paths etc. I can see the relevant info within the spreadsheet fine, but the documentation doesn't actually detail how to import them. Anyone got any sort of clue as the documentation doesn't detail it and Learn AI is delighted to explain exactly how to import work items, which we already know how to do.

[FH-Inway]

Maybe this can help: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/guidance/business-processes/about-import-catalog-devops

[merago-jert]

Thanks for the response, but no, that's the standard documentation that I mentioned that states the Excel template can be used to automatically import work item types etc but doesn't detail how. It does, however, detail how to import work items (not work item types, fields, area paths etc). We already know how to import work items.

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On Tue, 13 Jan 2026, 16:46 Florian Hopfner, ***@***.***> wrote: Maybe this can help: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/guidance/business-processes/about-import-catalog-devops — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#313 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/B4XJ7YHH6CVD2Y7WP6DRWW34GUOQBAVCNFSM6AAAAACRR2L6ESVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTKNBYG43TGNQ> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: <microsoft/dynamics365patternspractices/repo-discussions/313/comments/15487736 @github.com>

[FH-Inway]

Gotcha. If I understand correctly, you are referring to the content of the ADO template guideline.xlsx Excel file at https://github.com/microsoft/dynamics365patternspractices/tree/main/templates/Azure-DevOps-templates

I have not worked with this file yet, but I can make an educated guess what Microsoft is referring to when they write that "The template generates the work item types for you". Unfortunately, I don't think there is an import button in the ADO frontend that can do this. Instead, they may be referring to the ADO API that has endpoints for the components in the Excel. You can then create a script or small program that takes the data from the Excel file and uses the API to make the changes in ADO.

I've done something similar in the past using the command line tool https://github.com/microsoft/process-migrator to export a process from ADO and import it into another ADO. I think that is the direction they intend for this Excel file.
I also found commit 4b2705e where the folder for the Excel file was created with this commit message (emphasize by me)

Create Azure-DevOps-template
New folder for Azure DevOps Python scripts and Excel templates

My guess is that the Python scripts for the Excel were either forgotten or will be provided at a later date. Maybe @rachel-profitt can comment on that.

[merago-jert]

Thanks for the follow up - that's the exact file, yes. I had figured it may be API related but couldn't find any information on manipulating via API - I'll keep digging on that angle though. It would be good for Microsoft to clarify either the article or the required steps to automate import as the article is currently mis-leading and signing up for the Python preview for ADO import doesn't seem to work (or at least it just errors whenever I try it from various devices and browsers).

[FH-Inway]

Try this link for the Python import preview: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=v4j5cvGGr0GRqy180BHbR1tm1Gf0PYtJtd9Z3pdu6vVUNUxRREdHSEszWDJZWU9TT01MOVBZQ0hEQSQlQCN0PWcu&route=shorturl

I got it from https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rachelprofitt_fill-microsoft-business-process-catalog-activity-7403159621236154369-fbV8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAACn19eEB2FevfbO-F1SMfCz9FnvQSmRNCAo

Seems the link in the documentation goes to the design mode of the form, which cannot be accessed.

I also played around with the API a bit and got a prototype import of the work item types working. See https://github.com/FH-Inway/dynamics365-guidance/tree/experiments/tools/business-process-catalog-for-azure-devops, the Import-WorkItemTypes.ps1 PowerShell script and the accompanying azure-devops-config.json file.

With that, some manual setup and the ADO Excel AddIn, I was able to import a very bare bones version of the delivery plan excel.

[FH-Inway]

I made some progress with the PowerShell scripts and got most of the content of the ADO template guideline.xlsx Excel file imported. That said, the Azure DevOps API is not for the faint of heart. Documentation (at least for the endpoints needed for this) is very thin and occasionally just wrong. Lots of trial&error there.

The challenge now shifts to the import of the other three Excel files. I was able to validate that all three can be imported with all their fields. However, for the business process catalog and the deliverables, I have only done a partial import so far. The Excel AddIn for Azure DevOps also struggles around 1.000 rows, so no advantage over the recommended csv import. Best bet here is probably also a custom script, which would also make it possible to handle future updates of the Excel files.

[CarstenAtBinderupPro]

Hi both of you.
Like you already realized there are no tool from Microsoft to handle this.
I have build a tool myself to import the files. But there are many levels of problems you run into using the files from Microsoft.
I have refined my tool during the last 5 or 6 releases from MS - but every time new issues appear. However - I'm able to import the the full catalogue with 14500 work items in a vanilla ADO organisation, creating the foundation like different work item types, fields, area paths etc.

[MeragoJert]

Thanks Carsten. The Python Preview scripts are available in the GitHub repo now - we've been using them and they do seem to do the job if that helps? Still a bit of data cleansing needs done in the catalog spreadsheets, but the Python scripts save a ton of work generating the pre-reqs.