Box types

Table of contents

1 Security and access
2 Which Box type to choose?
3 Box type attributes
4 Duplicate Box types
5 Delete Box types
6 Archive Box types
7 Restore Box types
8 Update rules

Box types allow you to set up any number of default Boxes - flexible, high-level containers that come preconfigured, partially customized, or fully personalized. In practice, this means unprecedented flexibility in shaping a portfolio hierarchy to suit your business needs best.

A Box type is akin to a template, which, once configured, can be used each time you or your team want to start working on a new thing (i.e., a Project, Portfolio, etc.), launch a new SAFe Agile Release Train, or do anything else. Each team can have a different Box template to accommodate different types of projects and individual team preferences.

Additionally, if you want to reorganize your work or a team needs. If you edited a Box type in a separate tab, refresh the page to ensure changes are reflected in the App.

You cannot change the Box type of a given Box - for example, once a Box has been created as a "Program Increment," you can't turn it into a "Program."

Security and access

Only the App admin can access and change the Box type configuration.

Click the "wrench" icon and select "Box types" from the drop-down list.

Click the Box type name to open its settings.

Box information can be checked on the Overview module by adding columns:

Period mode
Sequentiality
Created date
Scope type

This doesn't require an App admin role.

Which Box type to choose?

Do you carry out many business projects independently of each other? If so, choose the Portfolio Box structure and individual Box project types, e.g., Agile, Classic, or Hybrid projects. Or maybe you want to manage a specific project and understand what is going on in it? Choose a project type and divide it into Stages or Iterations.

Decide which project type would be the best option for your business goals:

Agile project - A built-in type that is recommended for projects run in Agile methodology
Classic project - A built-in type that is recommended for classic (waterfall) projects
Hybrid project - A built-in type suitable for hybrid projects involving Agile and classic approaches
Hybrid stage - A built-in type that helps to organize a hybrid project schedule into stages
Iteration - A built-in type that helps to schedule work iteratively
LeSS Requirement Area - A built-in type designed for multiple teams working together on one product.
Portfolio - A built-in type that stores Agile, classic, and hybrid types of projects
Program - Basic Box type that lets you divide the work into lower levels such as Iterations, Stages, or Program Increments
Program Increment - A built-in type that allows for grouping iterations into increments (recommended for SAFe® adopters)
SAFe Art - A built-in type to represent an Agile Release Train (recommended for SAFe® adopters)
Sprint - A built-in type that helps to schedule work iteratively
Stage - A built-in type that helps to organize classic project scope into stages

BigPicture provides built-in Box type templates, and you can freely adjust 11 Box types to your preferences. Creating and using unlimited Box type templates with BigPicture Enterprise is possible.

The diagram below shows the default, out-of-the-box configuration.

Box type attributes

Each Box type has a set of attributes such as:

Prefix
Name
Status
Parent Types
Description

More attributes are in the Administration > Box” Specify a Box type name and Box prefix. Then, select a default icon and adjust its color.

You can configure more attributes for a newly created Box type in the General (Box types) section.

Duplicate Box types

To simplify setup, you can duplicate an existing Box type (all settings are copied) and make needed adjustments. Click the "Duplicate" button as shown in the image below.

A Box type duplicate is automatically created with a "-copy" suffix added to the name (no creation pop-up appears).

Delete Box types

You can delete a Box type only when no Boxes use it, and the Box type status is set to "DRAFT.” Deletion is irreversible.

To delete a Box type, click the "Bin" button.

Archive Box types

Archiving a Box type doesn't affect existing Boxes that use the configuration - an archived Box type can still be in use but won't be available when creating a new Box. Only the Box types in the "IN USE" status can be archived.

You can restore archived Box types at any time.

Restore Box types

You can restore Box types that are archived. Toggle the "Show archived Box types" switch to hide/show archived types. To restore a Box type, click the "curved arrow" button.

Update rules

The table below presents policies applicable to changes made to Box type attributes.

Policy	Description	Example

Policy	Description	Example
Existing Boxes updated	New values for a Box type attribute will automatically affect all existing Boxes of a given type.	If you change the "Box type name" attribute of an existing Box type, a new "Box type name" will be updated everywhere.
Existing Boxes affected (no invalidation)	New values for a Box type attribute will not invalidate existing Boxes of a given type (it will not recalculate/change Boxes according to the existing rules). All existing and new Boxes of a given type will follow the new rules from the moment of the change.	You remove a type A and add a new type B in Box type C’s "Parent types" attribute. Once you save changes, you can create sub-Boxes C for Boxes B.” e.g., PROJ-12. Existing Boxes of a given type will remain their current IDs. For example, PROG-23 will not be changed to PROJ-23.