Using Excel with the Product Backlog
Excel provides a neat way of getting a large Product Backlog loaded into Team System or
performing multiple similar edits very efficiently. It is also a great way to work with the
backlog for team members who don't have or don't want to use Visual Studio.
To connect an Excel spreadsheet to a Team System project see Artefacts in Team System
Using Excel to Populate the Product Backlog
Having successfully connected an Excel worksheet to your Team Foundation Server you can
create new Product Backlog items and "Publish" them back to the connected Scrum project.
Select the fields that you are interested in by using the "Column Chooser" to select and order
them. Ensure that your spreadsheet includes the "Work Item Type" column as you will need to
specify that each entry is a "Product Backlog Item".
The example below shows a Product Backlog item being added through a spreadsheet created
by right-clicking on the "All Product Backlog Items" query in Team Explorer and choosing the
option "Open in Microsoft Excel". In order to write this new backlog item
back to the Scrum project use the "Publish" button in the "Add-Ins" tab of Excel's ribbon.