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Advanced spotlight: enforce done rules with checklist completion

When to use this​

Use this example when you want a work item to stay open until a required checklist is fully complete.

This is a good fit for:

  • Definition of done enforcement.
  • Release sign-off gates.
  • Compliance or audit-sensitive processes.

What this setup helps prevent​

  • Moving work to Done while required checks are still open.
  • Treating checklist completion as optional when it should be enforced.
  • Teams interpreting "ready to close" differently.

Example checklist​

You can pair this setup with a practical checklist such as:

  • Review completed.
  • Validation completed.
  • Documentation updated if needed.
  • No blockers remain.

How the pattern works​

  1. Create a template with a mapped content field and a mapped Complete field.
  2. Add the checklist to the relevant work item type.
  3. Configure an Azure DevOps work item rule that prevents a move to Done or Closed when the Complete field is empty.
  4. Test the behavior with both incomplete and complete checklist states.
  5. Set the Complete field default to Yes, and scope the template to the teams that use the checklist, so the process-wide rule does not block everyone else. See Preventing moving work items to done while a checklist is not completed.

Why this is an advanced spotlight​

This pattern is powerful because it connects the checklist UI to workflow enforcement. It moves the checklist from a helpful reminder to a real process gate.

Common variations​

  • Pair a Progress field with the same template so cards also show how close the work is to completion.
  • Use the same pattern only for certain work item types or teams.
  • Keep the checklist lightweight if the enforced rule applies to many items.