# Runs # Runs ![Runs in Timeline](https://manual.codecks.io/_astro/intro.pMvL_5wI_FJwbp.webp) Sprints are a common tool in the development process. Runs allow you to model your sprints by allowing to set up recurring milestones of a certain length in weeks. > ### Terminology: Run vs Run Configuration > > A `Run Configuration` creates `Runs`. Typically you set up one `Run Configuration` per Team. Codecks allows to have multiple `Run Configurations` in parallel. > > Here's a translation that you might know from other tools: > > **Run Configuration:** Team, Sprint Track\ > **Run:** Sprint, Cycle ## Set up Runs First ensure Runs are enabled via the Organization Settings > Features section. (They are enabled by default though.) Open the **Timeline** tab in the header or press `Shift + 3` on your keyboard. The Timeline tab remembers the last Run or Milestone you opened — clicking it again brings you straight back to that view rather than to a generic timeline overview. Look for the ➕ icon at the top right. A Calendar opens which includes a `Set up Runs` button in the header. !["Set up Runs" button](https://manual.codecks.io/_astro/setup.CxTP2KLb_ZJgzL1.webp) ### Set up a Run Configuration ![Run Config Menu](https://manual.codecks.io/_astro/run-config.CVWZCPsB_TSuzN.webp) - **Short Name**: Up to 5 letters. Helpful to differentiate Runs in case there exist parallel Run Configurations. - **Color**: The color in which the Runs are shown throughout the app. - **Is project-specific**: If left unchecked the generated Runs will be _global_ ones, that can contain Cards from any project. If you make it project-specific, it will only be shown on the timeline if the associated project is currently visible as well. This mechanism can also be used to hide certain Runs from team members that don't have access to the respective project. Only Admins can change this option. - **Run label**: The name shown for Runs that don't have a custom name, e.g. `Run %RUN_NR%`. It has to contain `%RUN_NR%` (the Run number, starting from 1) or `%CALENDAR_WEEK%` (the calendar week the Run starts in). - **Duration**: How many weeks a Run is active - **Start day**: This option differs depending on whether you are creating or updating a Run Configuration. When creating a Run Config, you can pick a start date from a calendar. When editing, you can change the weekday the Run starts. - **Number of upcoming Runs to create**: This number also includes the currently active Run. Once a Run has been finished, a new one is automatically created. - **Finish at**: Define the time and time zone at which the Run shall end. Note that 0:00 refers to the beginning of the specified end day, while 24:00 refers to the end of that day. - **At end of a Run, automatically move Cards to the next Run that are**: Pick which unfinished Cards move on once a Run is finished: those _In review_, _Blocked_, or _Other undone_. All settings can be changed later on. Updating the Run duration will only impact the currently running or future Runs. Updating the start day will only impact future Runs and prolong (or shorten the current one). ### Run Automations Look for the 🤖 icon in the Run Inspector to set up a couple of useful automations: 1. **Auto Milestone** Codecks automatically applies the selected milestone to any card without a milestone that is added to this Run. When you pick the milestone, it is also applied to the cards without a milestone that are already in the Run. 2. **Auto Assign Started Card** This Option automatically adds started Cards to the Run, unless they're already in another Run. 3. **Auto Assign New Card** New Cards from the Run's projects will be automatically suggested for the Run. You can adjust this before saving the Card. Note that option 2. and 3. might result in a situation where a Card could be applied to multiple Run Configurations if their projects overlap. In that case the Run Config is chosen whose current Run's end date is closest. ### Run Description, Statistics & User Capacity Once a Run is opened, you can click on the `i` button below the **Add Card** button on the left. This will show you the description box as well as statistics about the Run including a burndown chart. The description area allows you to update the description and upload a cover image. This image will also be used for the Run's tooltip. The shown velocity is the effort completed over the last 7 days across all Runs of the Run Configuration. ![Stats of a Run](https://manual.codecks.io/_astro/stats.dlf12OBz_1b0yWm.webp) This view also includes **Capacity Tracking** (available in the `Pro` plan). It shows how work is distributed across your team mates. You can set the individual capacity of each team member to see who might be overbooked or out of work. Look for the ⚙️ icon at the top right to set and modify the capacity for each user. If a user is overbooked, the line chart will show striped overlay. If a member still has capacity left, it will be represented with dots. Users are sorted by the percentage of work done (based on work assigned, not capacity). Note that when editing Capacities, the tooltip shows the Historical Workload for a user helping to identify a good value for future workloads. The Run header also shows your personal capacity vs work load at a quick glance. ![Capacity Tracking Widget](https://manual.codecks.io/_astro/capa.M-o0ydCL_1Y32OL.webp) > ### Preserved Statistics > > Once a Run is finished (the precise time can be set via the settings), all stats are preserved. This allows you a good comparison for how much work was completed at the final day for all past Runs. > **Runs as Commitment or Cadence** > > Sprints (or runs) started in Scrum as a mutual contract: the team commits to a goal, and in return they get focus without changing requirements mid-sprint. Some studios use runs this way - a two-week promise that both sides honor. > > Others treat runs more loosely, as a cadence ritual that helps maintain oversight over current work without the strict commitment aspect. > > If you treat runs as commitments, [Beast Mode](#beast-mode) helps you track where you're falling behind. We also signal newly added cards during an active run, giving you time to move them out before they become part of the informal contract. ### Deleting Runs You cannot directly delete a Run Configuration, but you can delete active or future Runs. Deleting a Run also deletes **every Run after it**, and the Cards in those Runs no longer belong to any Run. It sets a stop date for that Run Configuration beyond which no new Run is started even if you change e.g. the Run duration. To create Runs again, open the Run Configuration via the cog icon ⚙️ on an opened Run and click **Resume**. Cards removed by the deletion don't return to the new Runs. ## Adding Cards to a Run There are various ways to do so: - Open the Card properties by clicking the properties button on the top right side of an opened Card, you can find the Run picker below the priority and effort properties. Click the "Pick" button to select either upcoming or past Runs. - Select multiple Cards and use the [bulk action](https://manual.codecks.io/bulk-actions/) milestone button to add multiple Cards to the same Run. - Order your Cards by Run to drag Cards between different Run lanes. - Click on the Run icon on any Card to open the [Quick Settings](https://manual.codecks.io/quick-settings/). There can only be one Run assigned to a Card. To distribute a task over multiple Runs you can consider using [Hero Cards](https://manual.codecks.io/hero-cards/). > ### Default Order > > Just like with Decks and Milestones, you can set a [default order](https://manual.codecks.io/sorting/). You can find the option at the bottom section of the sort panel. The default order will be applied by default to everyone in the team. > Setting a default order on a Run sets it for all Runs of the same Run Configuration. > If no default order is set, the Manual sort order is chosen. ## Beast Mode ![Card with Beast token](https://manual.codecks.io/_astro/beast-card.Bq4JLeBb_1hRyPB.webp) Beast Mode tracks Cards that get pushed from one Run to the next, keeping you aware of what’s slipping through the cracks. The more a Card moves, the stronger its Beast level grows. A Card within a Run with active Beast mode may be in two states: 1. **Pending:** Cards entering the Run will start out in the `Pending` state. Cards can be moved to different Runs without increasing their Beast level. Cards in the `Pending` state have a `NEW` label at the bottom. 2. **Locked in:** After the grace period has passed, Cards will be locked in. The grace period only applies while **Auto-activate Beast Mode** is set — without it, Cards added after Beast Mode started stay `Pending`. Once locked in, Cards won't be able to move out of this Run without increasing their Beast level. When opening a Run, you will find the Beast icon in the Run'sheader bar. Codecks offers multiple options to configure Beast Mode. ![Beast Config View](https://manual.codecks.io/_astro/beast-config.lPZYZNDc_Z2lLUdw.webp) - **Manually start Beast mode:** hitting this button will lock in **all** Cards currently in the Run, regardless of the grace period. This button is available even if you've set up the "Auto Activate" option below. Once Beast Mode is active, the Beast icon will turn red. - **Auto-activate Beast Mode:** Allows you to set up the number of days after which Beast Mode is activated. This setting affects all Runs within this Run Configuration. Once scheduled, the Beast icon will turn yellow. - **Beast Grace Period:** The grace period determines how long a Card might be in a Run with activated Beast Mode before being locked in. It has no effect while Auto-activate is off. If a Card has been added to a Run before the Run has started, the Run's start time will be considered for the grace period. Beast Mode is a feature available in the `Pro` plan. > ### Beast Card Ownership > > The occurrence of lots of Beast Cards often points towards issues in the > team's development process. Even though the Beast icon is shown near the owner's portrait, it is not an indication of being solely their responsibility. Ultimately, the whole team should jointly aim to keep the number of Beast Cards down and manageable to avoid building a large backlog of overdue Cards. ## Working with Runs ### Run Icons Cards with a Run will show a small circular-ish arrow icon. Hover over the icon to see more information about the current state of the Run. Cards with a past Run will show an empty Icon. The current one will be filled whereas future ones are also filled but show a dashed outline. ### Run Tab in the Hand This section displays all Cards you own across your current [Runs](https://manual.codecks.io/run/). If multiple Run Configurations are active at the same time (for instance if their schedules overlap), each Run is shown as its own section so you can see them side by side. The tab label switches between "Run" and "Runs" depending on how many are currently active. You'll see all Runs you have access to, ordered as follows: - Runs where you own no Cards appear in the bottom group - Within each group, Runs are ordered by end date, with those ending soonest at the top For each Run, Cards are grouped by Zone as defined by the Run's [manual order](https://manual.codecks.io/sorting/#manual-order-and-zones). You can drag and drop Cards within this section or move them to your Hand above. Click on a Run's name to open the full Run view in the Timeline.