Overview
Field visibility by stage and type controls which fields an initiative shows based on its current lifecycle stage and initiative type. It keeps only the information that is relevant at each point in the initiative lifecycle.
There are two ways to control what appears:
By lifecycle stage. Fields can be set to appear only where it is relevant. For example, Delivery fields can be hidden while an initiative is still the "Idea" stage and only appear once it reaches the "Ready" stage.
By initiative type. For teams running different kinds of work, stages and fields can also be limited to particular types. For example, "Waterfall" initiatives can include the "Design", "Build", and "Test" stages while "Agile" initiatives leave them out.
These settings work together. For example, a Waterfall initiative in the "Design" stage shows only the stages and fields configured for that combination. Configuring visibility by initiative type is optional, so if no initiative type is assigned, visibility is determined only by the initiative's current lifecycle stage.
Hiding a stage or field changes only what appears on the initiative detail page. The item, its existing values, and its history are kept. Hidden items can be revealed at any time with the "Show hidden fields" action, and other views such as roadmaps continue to show the same information. The same configuration also drives the portfolio kanban board, where lifecycle-stage columns can be filtered by initiative type.
Permissions
Action | Permission |
|---|---|
Configure lifecycle stages, custom fields, and system fields by stage and type | Strategic Portfolio Administrator |
View the stage- and type-filtered initiative detail page, including revealing hidden fields | Any user with view access to the initiative |
Edit an initiative with the filtered view applied, including revealing hidden fields | Any user with edit access to the initiative |
Key terms
Term | Description |
|---|---|
Untyped initiative | An initiative with no type assigned. It shows fields and stages from every type, with stage-based hiding still applied so only items relevant to the current lifecycle stage appear. |
Hidden fields | Fields or stages not configured for the currently selected stage and/or type. They are hidden from the view but preserved in storage, and can be revealed with "Show hidden fields". |
Invalid stage | A stage kept on an initiative that is not valid for its current type. It is shown with a warning indicator, and only valid stages are offered when it is changed. |
Configuration
Strategic Portfolio Administrator permissions are required to configure field visibility by stage and type. The feature must also be enabled for the portfolio.
Administrators configure visibility from the Lifecycle, custom field, and initiative configuration pages. From here it is possible to:
Assign lifecycle stages to one or more initiative types.
Assign custom fields to one or more lifecycle stages and initiative types.
Assign supported system fields to lifecycle stages and initiative types.
Assigning or removing a stage or field only changes what is shown on initiatives; it never deletes stored values.
Assign lifecycle stages to an initiative type
Go to the Lifecycle configuration page.
Click on the “Stage visibility” button on the top right-hand side the lifecycle stage section.
Select the initiative types the stage applies to.
Assign a custom field to lifecycle stages and types
The field then appears only for initiatives of a matching type at a matching stage.
Go to the custom field configuration page and click the “Custom field visibility” button
Choose the initiative type and lifecycle stage combinations the field applies to.
Assign a system field to lifecycle stages and types
Go to the initiative configuration page in the system fields section.
Select the “System field visibility” button.
Choose the lifecycle stages, and optionally the initiative types, the field, section or tab applies to.
Working with hidden fields
View access to the initiative is required to reveal hidden fields. Edit access is required to change their values.
Show hidden fields for the current stage and type
When field visibility by stage and type is configured, fields and sections that do not apply to an initiative's current stage or type are hidden. They are not deleted and can be revealed at any time.
On the initiative detail page, open the three dot menu and select "Show hidden fields".
Review the hidden fields and sections shown alongside the visible ones.
Edit a hidden field directly if needed. Existing values remain available while the field is hidden.