Creating and closing release activities

As a user, you can create and close release activities.

Activity statuses

You can define multiple activities for a particular milestone. Each activity can go through the multiple statuses. The status of an activity can be updated manually or by an action performed on the activity.

An activity can go through the following statuses:

The following table describes the valid status transitions for an activity:

Before you can complete the request release, all the activities must be closed, completed, or cancelled.

Configuration settings for activating tasks can be modified by changing the Activity status for Activation field on the Configure Activity Rule form. For more information about configuring activities, see Configuring release priorities.

Release task status transitions

After you begin working on a task, you must manually update the status of the task depending on the work done related to that activity. You have the option to define multiple tasks for an activity.

To define the order in which tasks or task groups should be executed, you can use sequence numbers. Multiple tasks can have the same sequence number. This sequencing mechanism saves time by eliminating the need to manually define the flow between tasks or task groups.

For more information about defining a sequence for tasks, see Managing tasks related to a request.

Task status transitions

1. When the parent activity is moved to the In Progress status, tasks are activated in the sequence assigned to them. For example, all tasks with sequence number 1 are activated first. When all the tasks with this sequence number are Closed, all tasks with the next sequence number are activated simultaneously.
2. After a task is activated:
   • If assignments are defined for that activity, the task moves to the Assigned state.
   • If assignments are not defined, the task moves to the Pending state. After assignments are defined, it moves to the Assigned state.
3. When you start working on a task, you need to change the task status to Work in Progress.
   • If you require additional information, change the status to Pending. When the required information is provided, update the status to Work in Progress.
   • If you choose not to perform a particular task, you can change the status to Bypassed. A task can move to Bypassed automatically depending on the sequence.
4. After the task is completed, change the task status to Closed.
5. If multiple tasks are defined for the activity, when you close all tasks with the same sequence number, all tasks with the next sequence number are activated. After all the tasks within an activity are completed, status of the activity is changed to Completed. When all the activities defined for a milestone are completed, the release record can be moved to the next milestone.

To plan dates for release activities

Enter the Scheduled Start Date and Scheduled End Date for the activity. The Dates tab in the Activity form includes various fields where you can enter scheduling information. For example, the actual start date of the activity.

1. Open the activity.

2. Click the Dates tab.
   The scheduled tasks are displayed.

   

3. Under Activity Dates, specify the following values to assign the activity:
   • Scheduled Start Date—Optionally, enter an estimated start date.
   • Scheduled End Date—Optionally, enter an estimated end date.
     Set the start date and end date to be different from the dates of the parent release.
4. Save the activity.

To select activity templates

Use the Activity Template function to select any templates that are made available for your support group. Activity templates are useful in any activity that follows well-defined methods for specific and repeated requirements.

1. Create or open an activity.
2. From the navigation pane on the left side of the form, select Quick Links > Select Template.

3. On the Activity Template Selection dialog box, click View to examine the contents of an activity template. 
   The template appears in read-only mode. View a template to see its relationship, its task and task group templates, and other important features.

   Important

   You cannot create, modify, or delete activity templates in the Release Management application; you can only view them. You must use the Application Administration Console to create, modify, or delete activity templates instead. Any member of your support group with release coordinator permissions can modify activity templates for that group. For more information, see Creating activity templates.

4. Select a template and click OK. 
   The contents of the template are applied to the activity. The activity template overwrites any field values that are already present in the activity. If the activity already includes tasks, these are not overwritten. Any additional tasks from the template are added as peers.

To create a release activity

1. Perform one of the following actions:
   • In the Initiate milestone of the Process Flow Status bar, click the arrow and select Action > Create a New Activity.
   • On the Release Management console, click Create.
   • On the Manifest tab of the Release form, select the Activity request type and then click Create.
     The Activity form is displayed. The tabs that you see vary according to which other applications are installed, for example, BMC Service Level Management.
     The activity initially appears in Draft status. To enable the activity from Draft status to be moved to its next status, enter information into the required fields.
2. (Optional) Use an activity template to fill out the contents of the activity.
   Activity templates are especially useful in any activity that follows well-defined methods for specific and repeated requirements. Activity templates do more than simply fill out fields for you; they can also include tasks with the activity. For more information, see Selecting activity templates.
3. In the Summary field, enter a brief description of the activity.
4. In the Detailed Description field, enter a more complete description of the activity.
5. Select the Priority to identify the importance that you, as support staff, assign to the activity.
   Priority indicates the relative order in which activities should be addressed. It is influenced by considerations of risk and resource availability. The default value of the Priority field is Low.
6. In the Requester tab, enter the person creating the activity (Requested By).
   When an activity is being created, the Requested By information is populated automatically with the people and group information of the person logged in. In Search mode, these fields are blank.
   To modify this information, click in the Last Name field and enter partial information about the individual you are looking for.
7. From the People Search dialog box, select the appropriate user record, and then click Select.
   The other fields in the Requested By section are filled in with information from the user's People form record.
8. Enter the location information for the activity.
   The Location Information is populated automatically with the company information of the person logged in.
9. Complete Assignment information about the activity.
   For information, see Assigning release activities.
10. (Optional) Define work information about the activity.
11. (Optional) Create tasks associated with the activity.
12. (Optional) Complete the financial information associated with the activity.
13. (Optional) Plan the activity's dates.
14. Click Save.

For more information, see Updating release activities.

To work on activities defined for a release

1. Log in to the Release Management console.
2. Select the activity from the Change Requests and Activities table.

3. Click View. 

4. On the activity form, enter information in each of the tabs described in the following steps to move the activity forward.

   Tab name	Action
   Assignment	Click the tab to review the assignment. If necessary, you can reassign the activity. For more information, see Assigning release activities.
   Work Info	Click the tab to enter work information about the activity. You can track the activity's progress by recording the steps that you took to implement it in the work history or attach a detailed Training Plan. For more information, see Updating release activities.
   Tasks	Click the tab to add tasks to the activity. For more information, see Updating release activities. Important: Tasks provide more granularity to the Activity. You can assign specific tasks to specific task implementers. For example, if there are multiple users that need to train users in multiple locations, assign work to them by using tasks. You can create activities with related tasks at each release milestone. Tasks have their own independent lifecycle and continue on their own path. Complete the training materials tasks during the Planning milestone, but complete training tasks during Deployment.
   Financials	Click the tab to add budget and actual costs of the activity. For more information, see Updating release activities.
   Dates	Click the tab to add start and end dates. For more information, see Planning activity dates. Important: When you start working on an activity, enter the Scheduled Start Date and Scheduled End Date.

   Important

   As you work on the activities, you can add the costs associated to each activity in each activity record that is part of the release request. The release activity can be in any status except Closed or Completed.

5. If there is no need to update information, move the status to In Progress and save your work.
   • To temporarily stop work on the activity, move the activity to the Pending status.
   • To cancel the activity, move it to the Cancelled status. This is a terminal status for the activity. All open tasks are marked as Closed.

To work with activities as an activity assignee

Release Management provides the capability to assign specific units of work known as activities. To track the release work in a lifecycle with specific status transitions, without the complexity of a change request (for example, approvals), use an activity instead. For example, a new payroll application requires that your user base receives proper documentation and training. Because this requirement is not a change request that needs to be completed by the Change Management team, the release coordinator creates it as an Activity by using the Activity form, and then assigns it to an activity assignee.

The activity assignee is typically a member of the support staff and is responsible for the following actions:

• Planning the activity. For example, adding scheduled start and end dates.
• Adding work information to the activity. For example, attaching a training schedule.
• Creating and assigning tasks. For example, assigning the Payroll staff to create training materials or the HR staff to train the users.
• Adding financial information. For example, budgeted and actual costs.

For more information, see Activities in Release Management.

The activity assignee requires the following user permissions:

• Release User permission grants general access to the Release Management Console. You can open, query, submit, and modify release requests. Release Viewer permission grants access to the Release Management, but you can only open and query release requests.
• Activity User permission grants general access to the Activity form. The activity assignee will be permitted to query and modify activity requests.

To close the activity

In the final stage of the activity, the activity assignee reviews all the implemented tasks to make sure that each objective is met. An activity cannot be closed until all tasks are closed.

1. Open the activity.
2. Click the Dates tab, and enter the Actual Start Date and Actual End Date.
3. Click the Financials tab, and enter the actual cost of the activity.
4. Move the activity to the Completed status.
5. After verifying, move the status of the activity to Closed.