Updates section overview
The Updates section of an object displays comments that users make on the object or system updates that track changes to the object.
Overview of the Updates section
The Updates section of an object shows system updates, and up to 200 of the most recent updates users made within the past 90 days.
The following objects have an Updates section where you can add comments or review system updates:
- Projects
- Tasks
- Issues
- Programs
- Portfolios
- Templates
- Template tasks
- Users
- Timesheets
- Teams
- Goals
- Iterations
The following objects have areas where you can add comments and review system updates:
- Cards on boards
- Records in Workfront Planning
Updates section tabs overview
The Updates section displays information in the following tabs:
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Comments: Displays comments made by users and replies to those comments. Use the Comments tab to add new comments or reply to existing ones. For information about updating objects, see Update work.
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System activity: Displays system updates which are informational messages that Workfront creates to record certain events on an objects. For example, changes in status, name, or custom fields are captured with system updates. Your Workfront or group administrator can enable system updates for your objects. Any replies that were made to system activity records in the legacy commenting experience are populated on the System activity tab as read-only. For more information, see Configure system updates.
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All (read-only): Displays both user comments and system activity comments in one place. This is a view-only tab. You cannot reply to comments or tag other users in existing comments in the All tab. To reply to a specific comment, use the link from the All tab to the Comments tab. For information about updating objects, see Update work.
NOTEThe Comments and System activity tabs update in real-time. You must refresh the All tab to view the most recent updates.
Similarities and differences between the Updates areas of different objects
There are differences between how comments and updates display for different objects.
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The following objects have similar experiences in all three tabs in the Updates section:
- Projects
- Tasks
- Issues
- Programs
- Portfolios
- Users
- Timesheets
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The following objects don’t have a System activity tab or an All tab, and the experience in the Comments tab matches that of all other objects:
- Team
- Template
- Template Task
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The following objects don’t have a System activity tab or an All tab, and the experience in the Comments tab differs from that of all other objects:
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Iterations
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Ad-hoc cards in the Boards area
For more information about updates on cards, see Add an ad hoc card to a board.
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The following objects have a System activity tab and they don’t have an All tab:
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Connected cards in the Boards area
For information, see Use connected cards on boards.
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The following objects have a History tab that replaces the System activity tab:
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Records in Workfront Planning
For information, see History section overview.
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The following objects don’t have an All tab, and the experience in the Comments tab matches that of most objects:
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Goals
For more information about updates on goals, see Manage goal comments.
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Updates that also appear on higher-ranking objects
Comments, replies, or system updates of certain objects also appear on the Updates section of higher-ranking objects.
For example, when you add an update to a task, the update appears on the Updates section for the task and on the Updates section for the project containing the task.
The following table shows the objects whose comments also display on their higher-ranking objects:
| Object where the original update was added | Higher-ranking objects where the original update also appears |
|---|---|
| Issue | Project |
| Task | Project |
| Project | Program, Portfolio |
| Document | Object where document is attached, Project |
| Proof | Document |
| Program | Portfolio |
| User | Team |
| Timesheet |
User, Team NOTE Timesheet comments display in the Updates section of the user who makes the comment and the Updates section of their Home Team. |
| Template Task | Template |
| Story | Iteration, Team |
| Iteration | Team |
| Result | Goal |
| Activity | Goal |
Limitations of the Updates section
There are some limitations in the Updates section of a team and when entering updates on behalf of other users.
Limitations for users and teams
Consider the following when viewing updates for users and teams:
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You cannot add new comments in the Updates section of a team.
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The Updates section for teams is populated by updates entered on the following objects:
- Users
- Stories
- Timesheets
- Iterations
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You can add a reply to an update you view on a team. The reply displays in the team’s Updates section as well as the Updates section of the object it belongs to.
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On the Updates section for users and teams, you can view the updates that have been entered in the past 90 days.
If you want to see all the updates made on a user or a team, beyond the 90-day limit, you can build a report for notes. The report should not have a time filter that displays all updates made for users or teams. For more information, see Create a custom report.
Limitations when entering comments on behalf of another user
Adobe Workfront administrators and group administrators can log in as other users and perform actions in Workfront such as entering comments.
For information, see Log in as another user.
Consider the following when logging in as another user and adding comments:
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Any comments made on behalf of another user are indicated on the comment.
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A group administrator can comment on behalf of another person but cannot delete that comment. Only an Adobe Workfront administrator can delete a comment that they made on behalf of another user.
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A Workfront or group administrator can only edit a comment they added on behalf of another user only when they log out as the user and log back in as themselves. They cannot delete a comment on behalf of another user.
View system updates on work items with the Journal Entry report
The Journal Entry report surfaces system updates from the Updates area of projects, tasks, and issues.
The report allows you to see:
- How many status changes occurred
- When a task or issue was deleted
- How values in important custom fields changed over the course of a project
- What important dates changed over the course of a project
- If priority changed over the course of a project
- If the owner of a project changed
For more information, see Report on the Updates area with a Journal Entry report.
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