Configure Team Foundation Build Service using the Team Foundation Server configuration tool

You can use this procedure to configure Team Foundation Build Service with the default options.

Tip

You can access the Team Foundation Server Configuration tool by launching Team Foundation Server Administration Console, choosing Build Configuration, and then choosing Configure Installed Features.

Required permissions

You must be a member of both the Windows Administrators security group on the server on which you are configuring Team Foundation Build Service and the Project Collection Administrators group on TFS. If you want to connect to a collection on Visual Studio Online, you also need the Microsoft account you used to set up the hosted service.

To configure Team Foundation Build Service

1. Choose Configure Team Foundation Build Service, and then choose Start Wizard.

   The Build Service Configuration wizard appears.

2. Read the Welcome screen, and then choose Next.

3. Choose Browse, and then choose the team project collection to which you want this build controller to connect. If your team project collection is on the hosted service, you’re prompted to authenticate. Enter the Microsoft account you used to set up the service. Choose Next.

   If you connect to a collection that previously hosted resources for the build service on this server, you’re prompted to restore your settings. If you want the same number of controllers and agents, choose Yes and then skip to step 5. (If you're upgrading from TFS 2012 or later, we’ll save any other build service customizations you made, too.) If you want to configure this build server with different resources, choose No.

4. Perform one of the following steps, and then choose Next:

   • Choose Use the default setting, and specify the number of build agents.

     If you installed Team Foundation Build Service on the same server as Team Foundation Server or are using the hosted service, the default setting for Number of build agents to run on this build machine is 1 (recommended).

   • Choose Scale out build services to run concurrent builds across multiple machines. If you choose this option, you have to specify the number of build agents for this machine and then add them to a new or existing build controller.

     If you installed Team Foundation Build Service on its own server, the default setting for Number of build agents to run on this build machine is equal to the number of processor cores on this server.

   • Choose Replace an existing build machine, and then specify the build machine to replace. This option copies the existing configuration to the new build server.

   • Choose Configure later to skip setting up any build controllers or agents on this instance of Team Foundation Build Service. 

     If you choose this option, you must manually connect the build controller to Team Foundation Server before you can use this build machine.

5. Under Run Team Foundation Build Service as, perform one of the following steps, and then choose Next:

   • Choose Use a system account, and then choose a system account.

     For example, choose NT Authority\Network Service to use Network Service.

   • Choose Use a user account to use a domain or local account, and then enter the account name and password. To test the user account and password, choose Test.

   If you’ve connected this build machine to the hosted service, under Advanced Configuration, you can see Account Name.

   When you created the instance of Team Foundation Server on the hosted service, Account Name was automatically created for you. This account will be added to the Project Collection Build Service Accounts group on the hosted service.

6. Review the information and then choose Next.

   The wizard validates your configuration.

7. Choose Configure.

   The wizard applies configuration settings.

8. Choose Next, Close, Close.

   The Team Foundation Server Administration Console appears.