With a handful of projects the issue list is enough. Beyond a certain size it is not: too many issues, too many projects, everyone builds their own view and nobody sees the same thing.
The Reporting plugin provides the views that large instances lack. The issue list stays the basis, it just gets other representations.
How it works day to day
- Save a query. Every view starts with a filter on the issue list that you save and share with others if needed.
- Show it as a board. The same query can be displayed as a task board, with columns per status and cards to drag. This also works across projects.
- Set limits. Per status column you define a WIP limit, meaning how many issues should sit there at once. If it is exceeded, the column header shows it.
- Use counter boxes. Recurring questions such as “how many open issues does customer X have” become a box on the home page instead of a filter rebuilt every time.
- Provide templates. Frequently used queries are stored as templates, so not everyone has to build their own filter.
What changes
- Everyone works on the same saved query instead of private filters.
- Bottlenecks stand out, because the board shows them and not the month-end report.
- The overview across several projects comes from one view instead of clicking from project to project.
Which functions matter in larger organizations is collected on the page business ready features. To shorten long issue lists, closed issues can be collapsed with the Collapse Closed Issues plugin.
Which functions the Redmine Reporting plugin brings along and what it costs is described on the product page.