TFS 2012 Whenchanged copy is copying previous value not current value

Question

In TFS 2012 I have edited the Task Work Item so that it automatically copies the original estimate over to the remaining estimate field when the original estimate is changed.

My Code:

<FieldDefinition name="Remaining Work" refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.RemainingWork" type="Double" reportable="measure">
  <WHENCHANGED field="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.OriginalEstimate">
    <COPY from="field" field="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.OriginalEstimate" />
  </WHENCHANGED>
  <HELPTEXT>An estimate of the number of units of work remaining to complete this task</HELPTEXT>
</FieldDefinition>

However when you enter a value in the original estimate field for a task and hit save, it copies across the previous value and not the current.

How do I fix it so that it copies the new value across upon saving the task and not the previous saved value?

Edit: This is the xml pulled from the entire file view rather than TFS power tools view of just that item. It for some reason showed <fieldDefinition> instead of <field>:

<FIELD name="Remaining Work" refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.RemainingWork" type="Double" reportable="measure">
    <WHENCHANGED field="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.OriginalEstimate">
        <COPY from="field" field="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.OriginalEstimate" />
    </WHENCHANGED>
    <HELPTEXT>An estimate of the number of units of work remaining to complete this task</HELPTEXT>
</FIELD>

Is there a reason you're using <FieldDefinition /> instead of <FIELD /> to define the field? And are there any other rules that might be updating either the RemainingWork or OriginalEstimate fields? — Richard Banks
I pulled the xml from TFS power tools view xml for the item but when I look at the whole file it is <Field> and not <FieldDefintion>. I don't know why. There's no other field that changes it according to a search of the full xml. — Chrises
OK. Can you have a look at the detailed history of the work item and see if there are any entries showing the field value changing? — Richard Banks
It's passing in the previous value not the current new value according to the history e.g. Original Estimate Old 1 New 2 Remaining Work Old 0 New 1 — Chrises

scourge192 scourge192 · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-12T12:00:38

We've accomplished this task using a transition from when the work item moves from New to In Progress

<Transition from="New" to="In Progress">
  <REASONS>
    <DEFAULTREASON value="In Progress">
      <FIELDS>
        <FIELD refname="System.AssignedTo">
          <COPY from="currentuser" />
        </FIELD>
        <FIELD refname="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.OriginalEstimate">
          <WHEN field="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.OriginalEstimate" value="">
            <COPY from="field" field="Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.RemainingWork" />
          </WHEN>
        </FIELD>
      </FIELDS>
    </DEFAULTREASON>
  </REASONS>
</Transition>

If the Original Estimate field does not have a value set, it will use the value stored in Remaining Work.

TFS 2012 Whenchanged copy is copying previous value not current value

2 Answers