TFS 2010 Build gives WorkItemStore error when Create Work Item on Failure is enabled

Question

I'm using TFS 2010 Build. I have a build definition that uses the DefaultTemplate.xaml template that's stock in TFS 2010, and the Create Work Item on Failure property is set to True in the build definition. I deliberately made a change in my project that breaks the build.

When the build runs, I see the compilation error reflected in the TFS Build log within Visual Studio, but I get the error "Value cannot be null. Parameter name: WorkItemStore" when TFS Build next tries to generate a Work Item for the broken build.

I tracked down the activity in DefaultTemplate.xaml (see the rather lengthy path to it below) where the Work Item is created for a broken build, and I see it uses the Microsoft.TeamFoundation.Build.Workflow.Activities.OpenWorkItem class to create the Work Item. The appropriate values seemed to be filled out in the Properties window for the Create Work Item activity, so I don't see where I can pass WorkItemStore to it and I don't even know appropriate values for this setting.

Path to the Create Work Item activity:
Process > Sequence > Run On Agent > Try Compile, Test, and Associate Changesets and Work Items > Sequence > Compile, Test, and Associate Changesets and Work Items > Try Compile and Test > Compile and Test > For Each Configuration in BuildSettings.PlatformConfigurations > Compile and Test for Configuration > If BuildSettings.HasProjectsToBuild > For Each Project in BuildSettings.ProjectsToBuild > Try to Compile the Project > Handle Exception > If CreateWorkItem > Create Work Item for non-Shelveset Builds > Create Work Item

Answer 1

Does the service account that the build agent runs as have access to work items in the team project? This can be a reason why the WorkItemStore object would be null.

Normally build agent service accounts are added to the "Project Collection Build Service Accounts" group that already has this access on every team project. However, if you have customized the process template, your groups/permissions or not setup the build agents correctly - then the permissions might not be correct.