How to bulk edit Azure DevOps work items without Excel (works on Mac)

Disclosure: I'm the developer of Bulk Editor, one of the options mentioned below. Originally published on jr-devtools.com.

“Open in Excel” relies on the Azure DevOps Office Integration add-in: Windows only, and a frequent source of TF80012-style errors and Excel crashes. If you're on a Mac, can't install the add-in, or just want it to work, here are three ways to edit many work items at once.

1. Bulk edit in the query results (built in)

In a query or backlog, select several work items (Shift- or Ctrl-click), open the context menu and choose Edit. You can set one or more fields to the same value for all selected items, for example a new iteration, state or assignee.

Good: built in, nothing to install. Limit: every selected item gets the same value, so it doesn't help when each row needs its own estimate, title or tag.

2. CSV export and import (built in)

Run a query, export it with Export to CSV, edit the file in any spreadsheet app, and bring it back with Boards → Work items → Import work items. Rows with an ID update existing items, rows without one create new items.

Good: works on any OS, handles different values per row. Limits: rich-text fields such as Description are exported as raw HTML; errors only show up at import time; and nothing warns you if someone changed a work item after your export.

3. A spreadsheet grid in the browser

Bulk Editor (made by me) opens a query, a backlog selection or any list of work items in a spreadsheet-like grid inside Azure DevOps:

• type in cells, use Enter and Tab, paste a block copied from Excel, and undo;
• pick lists, required fields, states and area/iteration paths come from your own process, and invalid values are flagged before you publish;
• nothing is saved until you select Publish, and a row that someone else changed in the meantime is refused instead of overwritten;
• rich-text fields are never flattened; export to a clean .xlsx without HTML tags;
• Pro: import .xlsx back, add new work items and children, and change parents in tree queries.

Good: nothing to install on your computer, works on Mac and Linux, different values per row with validation. Limits: Azure DevOps Services only for now; Pro is paid ($12 per organization per month), with a free plan of 25 published work items per organization per month and a 14-day Pro trial.

Which one should I use?

You want to …	Use
Move 40 items to the next sprint	Bulk edit in the query
Create a few hundred items once, from a plan someone sent you	CSV import
Groom a backlog: different estimates, titles and owners per row, regularly	A grid in the browser
Keep working in Excel on Windows with formulas	Open in Excel still does that, if the add-in works for you

Related guides

• Azure DevOps Excel add-in not working: fixes
• Azure DevOps work items in Excel on a Mac
• Bulk Editor: features, pricing and free plan

Not affiliated with Microsoft. “Azure DevOps”, “Excel” and “Office” are trademarks of Microsoft.