This AZ-400 practice question tests your understanding of configure processes and communications. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company uses Microsoft Entra ID for identity. They want to enforce that all code changes in Azure Repos require a linked work item and a successful policy evaluation. Which branch policy should they configure?
Set the merge strategy to squash merge.
Why wrong: Merge strategy does not enforce work items.
Enable 'Automatically include reviewers'.
Why wrong: Reviewer inclusion does not require work items.
Require work item linking in the branch policy.
This policy mandates a work item for each pull request.
Enforce a minimum number of comments.
Why wrong: Comments are not work items.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Require work item linking in the branch policy.
Option C is correct because requiring work item linking in the branch policy ensures that every pull request (PR) in Azure Repos must be associated with a work item (e.g., user story, bug) before it can be completed. Combined with a successful policy evaluation (e.g., build validation, required reviewers), this enforces traceability and compliance for all code changes.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Set the merge strategy to squash merge.
Why it's wrong here
Merge strategy does not enforce work items.
Enable 'Automatically include reviewers'.
Why it's wrong here
Reviewer inclusion does not require work items.
Require work item linking in the branch policy.
Why this is correct
This policy mandates a work item for each pull request.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Enforce a minimum number of comments.
Why it's wrong here
Comments are not work items.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse branch policy settings that add metadata (like auto-include reviewers or comment counts) with policies that enforce mandatory linking or validation, leading them to select options that only facilitate review but do not enforce the required traceability.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Azure Repos branch policies are evaluated as part of the PR completion pipeline; the 'Require work item linking' policy checks that at least one work item ID is present in the PR description or associated via the Azure Boards integration. If the policy fails, the PR cannot be completed, and the branch cannot be updated until the requirement is satisfied. In a real-world scenario, this is critical for audit compliance (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001) where every code change must be traceable to a requirement or defect.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
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FAQ
Configure processes and communications — This question tests Configure processes and communications — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Require work item linking in the branch policy. — Option C is correct because requiring work item linking in the branch policy ensures that every pull request (PR) in Azure Repos must be associated with a work item (e.g., user story, bug) before it can be completed. Combined with a successful policy evaluation (e.g., build validation, required reviewers), this enforces traceability and compliance for all code changes.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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