Connect Microsoft Teams and Backlog to perform actions using commands in Teams including:
- Login and logout
- Add an issue
- Get notifications about projects/issues
This feature is available with all user roles unless specific Backlog restrictions are applied by an admin (e.g., guest with view-only access).
In this guide, we’ll show you how to:
- Connect Teams and Backlog
- Use commands
- Manage notifications
- Use Microsoft Copilot
Connect Teams and Backlog
To connect Teams and Backlog:
- Go to Teams and select the “Apps” icon.
- Search for Backlog.
- Select “Add” or one of the options from the dropdown menu.
- Once Backlog is added, you’ll get a message with the option to log in. You can only log into one Backlog space at a time.
Use commands
You can perform the following Backlog actions using commands in Teams. Make sure the Backlog app is added to the channel or chat first. To use commands in Meetings or other channels, enter “@backlog,” select the app, and then enter the command (e.g., @backlog login).
login | Log in to Backlog. |
logout | Log out of Backlog. |
search | Search for Backlog issues. |
add issue | Add a new issue to your Backlog project. |
add notification settings | Get project notifications on Teams. |
delete notification settings | Remove project notifications on Teams. |
personal notification settings | Receive personal notifications on Teams. |
help | Show list of commands. |
You can log in or out by entering the command in the Backlog app chat or “@backlog + command” in the Teams chat or channel. You need your Space ID to log in. If project notifications are on, they won’t be turned off when you log out using the command.
To search, select the “...” icon to open the Backlog app and enter your search keywords to see any matching issues.
Select the Backlog logo in the chat or enter the “add issue” command to add an issue. You can enter the issue subject, type, and description via the app. After an issue is added, select the link in the chat to open Backlog where you can add more details. Issues can’t be added to projects with required custom fields.
Enter “help” in the Backlog app chat or “@backlog + help” in the Teams chat or channel to see a list of available commands.
Manage notifications
Select the Backlog logo in the chat or enter the “add notification settings” command to get notifications about Backlog projects. Only admins and project admins can add notification settings for their projects.
To update notification settings:
- Go to project settings in Backlog.
- Select “Integrations” from the menu on the left.
- Select “Settings” next to Microsoft Teams.
- Select “Edit.”
- Make your changes.
- Select “Save.”
To receive notifications from Backlog as direct messages, you need to delete the current notification settings and re-add them to the new chat/channel.
Backlog as direct messages in the Backlog app on Microsoft Teams.
To enable this feature, follow these steps:
- In Teams, type Personal notification settings and send the message.
- Click the Change personal notification settings button in the message that appears.
In the dialog box that opens, click the Enable button.
To change the notification chat/channel, you need to delete the current notification settings and re-add them to the new chat/channel.
The selected language is the language of the notifications.
There are a few ways to delete notification settings:
- In Teams, select the Backlog logo in the chat or enter the “delete notification settings” command.
- In the Backlog project settings, go to Integrations > Microsoft Teams > Settings > Edit > Delete.
Use Microsoft Copilot
The Copilot plugin allows you to search for, update, and comment on Backlog issues within Teams.
Good to know
Japanese-language users must enter half-width spaces before and after “Backlog” for the Copilot plugin to work correctly.
Search for issues
Searchable fields include subject, details, comments, assignee, and deadline.
Example prompts include:
- “Tell me which Backlog issues related to Copilot have due dates between January 1, 2024 and January 31, 2024.”
- "Tell me which Backlog issues are assigned to John Smith and have in-progress status."
Helpful keyword phrases include:
- “Find issues related to…” to search for keywords included in issue titles, details, and comments.
- “[name] is the person in charge of…” to search for issues with a specific assignee.
- “The deadline is [date]…” to search for issues with a specific due date.
Update issues and add comments
Update an issue status or due date or add a comment.