Refresh Your Team Foundation Client

  • Article

Some information might not update automatically when changes occur in Team Foundation Server, so you should refresh the team project data cache to guarantee that you are working with current data. For example, whenever you plan to move or delete shared items, such as a shared or team favorite work item query, shared document, or a shared report, you should update the cache. Also, if you have kept a work item open for a while, it is possible that another team member might have updated it. To avoid data conflicts, refresh a work item or client as needed.

You can refresh most objects, pages, lists, or team projects, by choosing the RefreshRefresh icon available from the window or page, or press F5.

To avoid potential errors, you should refresh your client application under the following circumstances:

  • Work item type definitions are added, removed, renamed or updated.

  • Area or iteration paths are added, removed, renamed or updated.

  • Users are added to or removed from security groups or permissions are updated.

  • A team member adds a new shared query, document, or report.

  • A team member changes the organization or names of shared queries or team favorites.

  • A build definition is added or deleted.

  • A team or team project is added or deleted.

Note

For information about refreshing Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Project, see Bulk add or modify work items with Excel and Create your schedule, backlog, and tasks using Microsoft Project.

Required Permissions

To perform these procedures, you must be a member of the Team Foundation Valid Users security group. If the necessary security permissions are set explicitly, you must have your View server-level information permission set to Allow and your View project-level information permission on all open team projects set to Allow.

To refresh Team Web Access

  • In Team Web Access, on those pages where available, choose either the Refresh or RefreshRefresh icons.

    The client interface refreshes, and you can continue to work.

Refresh Team Explorer

Pages in Team Explorer do not update automatically when changes occur in Team Foundation Server. You should update pages periodically to avoid potential errors. For example, if you are about to move or delete files from the Documents page, you should refresh the Documents node to be sure that the node is up to date. Otherwise you could attempt to delete or move a file that has already been deleted, which would return an error message.

Team Explorer supports three levels of refresh. You can refresh an individual page, an individual team project, or the set of teams defined for the team project you are connected to.

To refresh a node, team project, or all team projects in Team Explorer

  • In Team Explorer, perform one of the following tasks:

    • To refresh a page that you are currently viewing, choose RefreshRefresh in the Team Explorer menu bar (or choose the F5 key).

    • To refresh the team project you currently have selected, choose Home iconHome, and then choose RefreshRefresh (or choose the F5 key).

    • To refresh the set of teams defined for the team project that you currently have selected, choose the Context Menu Icon icon next to the team project name, and then choose Projects and My Teams, Refresh Teams.

See Also

Concepts

Use Team Explorer to interact with Visual Studio ALM

Use Team Foundation clients to interact with Visual Studio ALM

Other Resources

Use Team Web Access to interact with Visual Studio ALM