Rally - How to use the Deep Copy feature for Portfolio Items and User Stories in the Custom List Widget

Products

• Rally SaaS

Issue/Introduction

We have a custom app called "Feature Deep Copy", which allows users to copy a feature and its associated user stories along with the tasks attached to them. As this app will be decommissioned in October 2026, it is being replaced by the capabilities available in Custom Views. 

Environment

Rally SAAS

Cause

This is a limitation of the Custom Views Widget. Rally has developed a native "Deep Copy" feature for Portfolio Items and User Stories, this is no longer a widget feature but is now core functionality implemented on Rally's end.

Resolution

Rally has integrated the Deep Copy capability directly into the core product as a native replacement for the "Story Deep Copy" and "Portfolio Item Copy" legacy apps. This feature allows users to duplicate an entire work hierarchy in seconds, making it an ideal solution for recurring initiatives or templated work.

How to Perform a Deep Copy:

• Navigate to the Detail Editor of the Portfolio Item or User Story you wish to clone.
• Click the Actions (kabob) menu.
• Select the Deep Copy option.
  
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What is Included in the Copy:

• Hierarchy: All levels of Portfolio Items, User Stories, and Tasks are cloned.
• Attributes & Collections: Predecessors, Successors, Tags, and Milestones are preserved in the new copy.

Important Limitations:

To keep your data clean, Deep Copy does not transfer item States (Schedule State, State), Discussions, Defects, Test Cases, or connections to closed projects.

This functionality, now in the core product,  is intended to replace the Story Deep Copy and Portfolio Item Copy Legacy apps.  

NOTE: "Feature Deep Copy" is a third-party app developed using the SDK technology, which is End-of-Life (EOL) and will no longer be supported after October 30, 2026.