Rally - Projects: What are the advantages or disadvantages of closing projects?
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Article ID: 131267
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Updated On:
Products
Rally On-PremiseRally SaaS
Issue/Introduction
What is the implication of closing projects? Must it be done, if so when? Can we alternatively re-parent a project that's completed to a 'retired projects' section in our workspace?
Environment
Release: Component: ACSAAS
Resolution
Closing projects will make work items unavailable for users. Projects are expected to be closed when their work is completed. Once closed, their artifacts will not be returned by queries (including WSAPI queries). For any and all purposes closed projects "do not exist". If work is required the project will need to be reopened.
NOTE: It will be possible for any user with access to that closed project to perform a global search for artifacts in that project. This will return a page displaying the artifact is in a closed project (see screenshot below). Also, after the project is closed, new users will not be given any access to that closed project (with the exception of Subscription Administrators) even if they are given access to all projects in a workspace.
The idea of re-parenting a completed project to a designated tree branch for 'retired projects' essentially means that the project will technically be kept open. Users will have access to it, be able to change past work and data.
The best practice is to close the project, not only to secure against data modification, but also to ensure the project's timeboxes (iterations, releases) are not counted. by contrast a re-parented project will not enjoy this status. If you ensured there timeboxes are all done and closed and if you can guarantee that users will not modify data in your 'retired branch' (or that you allow it) - then it can be acceptable.
Nevertheless, this difference is important to realize and to highlight that our best Agile practice is to close projects.