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Do You Need TFS Work Items as XML?

Do you need TFS work items as XML? I've looked around and haven't found an easy way readily available for people to get TFS work items out as XML. Do you need this? Some of the reasons I have found for the such a feature is the ability to take the XML content and have it brought into a Word 2007 document as custom XML that can then populate the document via content controls. The Word document is for documentation purposes that are a bit more friendly and pretty. Or perhaps just as a generic feed to just about any other system.

Granted you could go against the web service but this is not the recommended means of doing anything as the web service interfaces are likely to change. Bring it out into Excel and then export into XML from there- that seems kludge. Also kludge might be via SSRS. Another option is against the WorkItemStore via the API.

That last option sounds great! Does anyone know of a tool that does this? I don't. So I'll build us one. Unless you can point me to an existing one.

I'll set up a wiki page soon enough and feel free to add input on what your needs might be and what you would like to see from such a tool. I'll post again as soon as the wiki is up. Also let me know if have a need or don't have a need for such a tool.

• What interfaces do you need?
  • Web Service?
  • Command Line?
  • GUI?
  • Visual Studio Integrated?
    • With direct push to a given Word document based on a defined template
    • Same as the above with a template selection
• Give me some user stories.
• Give me all your desires. I'll place it into a product backlog and will work from there.

I have some other ongoing projects that need some attention (Vertigo, contribution to Patterns and Practices sponsored practices, Guidance Explorer work etc.) but I have a personal compelling and immediate reason for this in short order so I may as well solicit from the community at large and build something a bit more styled for everyone.

So let me know and watch this space for more info.