How to Enable Work Item Only View in Team Web Access 2010

WIOV (Work Item Only View) is a restricted version of TWA (Team Web Access), which provides only following operations without ever needing a Team Foundation Server CAL (Client Access License):

  • Create new work item
  • Edit the work item you have created
  • See the list of work items you have created

In version 2008, WIOV (its name was WIWA – Work Item Web Access) was a separate application and it was being installed as a virtual directory under TWA 2008 (https://tfshost:8090/wiwa).

We have made a change in version 2010 and WIOV is no more a separate application than TWA meaning that there is a single entry point for both TWA and WIOV (https://tfshost:8080/tfs/web). The new behavior is based on a new TFS application-level permission called “Use full Web Access features”. If the user connected to TWA is denied for this permission, the application switches automatically to the WIOV.

An empty “Work Item Only View” users group is created out-of-box as well, which is denied for this permission already. You can start  using WIOV by adding the users to this group. In order to do this, open TF Administration Console and click “Application Tier” under host name. On the right hand side under Application Tier Summary, click “Administer Group Membership”.

groups_2

Then, double click “Work Item Only View Users” and add necessary users here. You can also see the permission by clicking “Administer security”.

permission_2

When the restricted user connects to TWA, the following UI appears.

wiov_2

Please note that, the user can filter the list by click “Show Filters” and save the settings. This feature is especially useful when the number of work items grows up.