Tips for resolving conflicts when importing specifications and requirements
When you import an Excel spreadsheet that contains specifications or requirements, the system analyzes the file and indicates how many rows will be processed or ignored. You can view the results in the Summary section of Review Contents.
The following messages are typical:
- "Importing the uploaded file will result in [x] new records and [x] updated records."
- "The uploaded file has [x] custom value(s), [x] conflict(s), and [x] error(s) that need to be addressed before proceeding further."
If you need to address an issue with the spreadsheet, follow the guidance in the following sections. Otherwise, click Import to complete the process.
Handling custom values
The Custom Values section displays when the system detects an unknown custom value.
For example, a requirement has a value of Pending-QA in the
Status column of the spreadsheet, but a corresponding field value
does not exist in the current system. (This scenario typically occurs when migrating
requirements and specifications from one system to another).
Each custom value flagged as unknown appears in table format:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Create | Select this check box to create a new field value as part of the import. If
left cleared, rows in the spreadsheet that use this custom value will be skipped.
Use the Select All or Clear All buttons to apply check box selections to the entire table. |
| Custom value for | Read-only. The column name in the spreadsheet containing the custom value. |
| Custom value | Read-only. The unknown custom value as it appears in the spreadsheet. |
Rows in the spreadsheet that rely on unknown custom values are flagged as errors.
Once you are finished making selections in the table, click the Fix
Errors button. Any rows that were previously impacted by the unknown custom
value are now classified as Fixed in the Errors
table below.
Resolving conflicts
The Conflicts section displays when a requirement or specification has been updated in both the spreadsheet and the current system. Each rule flagged as a conflict appears in table format:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Overwrite | Select this check box to overwrite the current rule with values from the
spreadsheet. If left cleared, the system skips updates to this rule. Use the Select All or Clear All buttons to apply check box selections to the entire table. |
| Requirement Name | Read-only key part that uniquely identifies the requirement with a conflict. |
| Specification Name | Read-only key parts that uniquely identify the specification with a conflict. |
| Case Type | |
| Updated On | The time this rule was last updated on the current system. |
| Updated By | The name of the operator who last updated the rule. |
After the conflicts are resolved, click Import to continue.
Fixing Errors
The Errors section displays when the spreadsheet contains rows that cannot be processed due to invalid or missing data. Each row flagged as an error appears in table format:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| [Action] | Click the link to take action based on the error type:
If no action is taken, rows with errors are skipped on import. |
| Requirement Name | Read-only key part that uniquely identifies the requirement with an error. |
| Specification Name | Read-only key part that uniquely identifies the specification with an error. |
| Case Type | Read-only key part that uniquely identifies the specification with an error. |
| Application | Read-only key part that uniquely identifies the specification or requirement with an error. |
| Issue | Describes why this row was flagged as an error. Typical issues include: invalid or missing key parts, a locked ruleset, unknown custom values, and duplicates. |
| How to fix | Guidance on how to remove the error condition. Follow instructions and then click Validate All to see how many errors are fixed. |
| Status | The current state of the requirement or specification; Error
or Fixed. |