Connectors

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Azure DevOps

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Audit stale Azure DevOps work items
Report

Find the work items nobody is looking after

For project managers who want unowned and neglected Azure DevOps work items surfaced by area, just by asking their AI assistant.

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Audit stale Azure DevOps work items
Audit stale work items in the Contoso Platform project. Anything untouched for 60 days counts as stale.
Found 27 work items that need attention in Contoso Platform. - Unassigned: 11 items, mostly in Area Payments - Untouched for 60+ days: 14 items - Priority 1 and neglected: 2 items, both in Area Checkout Want these split out by iteration as well?
Azure DevOps
Sample figures. Your results come from your own account.
azure-devops-get-work-item
azure-devops-get-work-item-type

On this page

The problem

The problem

The prompt

Who it's for

How it works

Tools used

Connector

Azure DevOps

Azure DevOps
Run it on your own Azure DevOps data.

Connect Azure DevOps, pick your AI tool and paste the prompt.

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The problem

Backlogs fill with work nobody is looking after

Backlogs fill with items nobody owns, items nobody has touched in months and priority 1 items that have stalled. Reviewing them means filtering the board several ways, so the review rarely happens.

Without PopdockAI

  • Filter the board for unassigned items
  • Sort again by last change date
  • Search for neglected priority 1 items
  • Skip the review because it takes too long

With PopdockAI

  • Open work items and their last change dates are read
  • Unassigned, untouched and neglected priority 1 items are flagged
  • Findings are grouped by area for each team
  • Nothing is reassigned or closed, and capped results are noted

The prompt

Use this prompt

Copy it into any AI tool connected to PopdockAI. Swap the values in braces for your own.

Prompt
**Objective:** Audit open work items in `{project}` and list those that are stale (no change for `{stale-days}` days, default 30), unassigned, or priority 1 without recent movement.

**Step 1: Read open work**

Call `azure-devops-get-work-item` with project `{project}` once per open state (for example New, Active, To Do, In Progress) and with priority 1 separately. Use `azure-devops-get-work-item-type` first if the state names are unclear.

**Step 2: Apply the rules**

Flag an item when changed-date is older than the threshold, when assigned-to is empty, or when priority is 1 and changed-date is older than 7 days. Group results by area-path.

**Step 3: Report**

Counts per rule and per area-path, then the top 20 worst offenders (id, title, type, state, assigned-to, days since change) and a short recommendation per area-path owner.

**Rules & Guidelines:**

* This prompt is read-only. Call only the `azure-devops-get-*` read tools named above; never create, update, comment on, approve, queue, abort or delete anything in Azure DevOps.
* The tools only return data the connected account can see; never infer data from projects outside that access.
* Do not reassign, close or edit items; list recommendations only.

**Validation:**

* If nothing is flagged, say the backlog is clean and give the counts.
* Say when results were capped by max-records.

Who it's for

One answer, three teams that use it

Project managers

Run backlog reviews from a list

Stale and unowned work grouped by area gives your review a ready agenda.

Audit stale work items in the Fabrikam Mobile project, using 45 days as stale.

Engineering managers

Catch stalled priority 1 work

Neglected priority 1 items are flagged, so urgent work does not quietly stall.

Which priority 1 work items in Contoso Platform have not changed in 30 days?

Product owners

Give every item an owner

Unassigned items in your area are listed, so you can assign or close them.

List unassigned work items in the Checkout area of Northwind Commerce.

How it works

What PopdockAI does when you ask

You name a project and how long counts as stale, and your AI assistant audits the backlog. It only reports and changes no work item.

01

Ask

You name the project and how long counts as stale.

Your AI tool

02

Read

It reads the open work items and their last change dates.

azure-devops-get-work-item
azure-devops-get-work-item-type

03

Flag

It marks unassigned, untouched and neglected priority 1 items.

No items found.

04

Report

You get the findings grouped by area, with a note if results were capped.

Your AI tool

What PopdockAI provides

The tools behind the answer

Ready made tools for Azure DevOps and one secure connection to your AI tool. No code, no exports.

get-data

azure-devops-get-work-item

Returns work items records from the Azure DevOps connector. Use it to read and filter work items across your Azure DevOps projects.
get-data

azure-devops-get-work-item-type

Returns work item types records from the Azure DevOps connector. Use it to read and filter work item types across your Azure DevOps projects.
Read only.Nothing in Azure DevOps Changes

This report is built from Get data tools only. PopdockAI applies the row, field and parameter rules your admin sets, and every query is written to the audit trail.

How Popdock AI secures your data

The outcome

A backlog review with a list to act on

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Related use cases

More ways to put this data to work

All Ramp use cases

One prompt template with infinite possibilities.

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Your AI assistant adapts its approach, tone, and capabilities to match each unique context while you maintain a single, manageable workflow.

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