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Box types
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 can’t 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.
See an interactive demo on how to access the box 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.
Available box types
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.
You can create and configure unlimited box type templates.
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
The diagram below shows the default, out-of-the-box configuration.
Box type attributes
See the https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918832188 page.
Manage box types
See the https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918701211 page.
“Read more” URL
You can define the link that will be displayed when creating new boxes of this type. For example, it can lead to internal documentation. See the https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918669073 page.
Box type vs box configuration
Box type settings contain the default settings applicable to multiple boxes (all boxes of a given type). Those settings are adjusted in App Administration.
Settings that are only box type specific are listed below.
Box settings refer to the settings of a single, individual box. They are dependent on the box type settings.
Some setting pages are nearly identical for both box types and individual boxes. See the https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918666176 page to learn more about these settings.