Exporting items to Microsoft Word

You can export Helix ALM items to Microsoft Word if you need to produce documents that contain data in a specific format, or to view or share data offline. For example, some organizations export items to Word to produce the following types of documents:

  • Requirement documents in specific formats that include review notes, workflow events, and linked items
  • Test plans that include linked requirements
  • Issue lists that highlight high priority items

To perform an export, you select items to export and a template to use. You can export from a variety of areas in Helix ALM. Sort order of items in the resulting document depends on the item type and how items are exported. See Areas to export from and item sorting.

The template defines the information and formatting in the resulting document. The available templates depend on the selected items to export. Templates are typically added by the administrator or another high-level user. See Adding Microsoft Word export templates to Helix ALM.

Tip:   If you need to transfer requirement documents between Helix ALM projects, use XML export and import in the Helix ALM Client. See the Helix ALM Client help for information about exporting and importing XML files.

1. Select the items to export. See Areas to export from and item sorting for information about where you can export from.

You may want to sort items or apply filters before selecting the items to export. In most cases, sort order of items in the resulting document is based on the sorting applied in the item list.

Tip:  To export multiple item types in the same document, export them from a folder.

2. With an item list open, click Actions and choose Export to Microsoft Word.

The Export to Microsoft Word dialog box opens. If you are editing an item you are exporting, you are prompted to save it. Click Save to save the item and continue the export.

3. Select a template.

Templates are available on the following tabs.

  • All—Displays all available templates for the selected item type.
  • Recent—Displays the last 10 templates you used for exports for the selected item type.
  • Favorites—Displays templates you marked as favorites for the selected item type. Click the star next to a template you frequently use to make it a favorite. To remove a favorite, click the star again.

Tip:  To quickly find a template, search for it by name. Click the Clear Search button to clear the results.

4. Click Export.

The export starts and the progress is displayed. Depending on the browser, the exported document may be saved in your downloads directory or you may be prompted to save or open it. The default file name includes the template name, date, and time (e.g., Issue Details 03-24-2016 05-07-56 pm.docx). If you are exporting from a folder, the folder name is prepended to the file name. If you are exporting a requirement document, the document name is prepended to the file name.

Note:  If exported images are not displayed correctly or at the resolution you expect, see Troubleshooting Microsoft Word export image issues.

You can export items from the following areas. The available templates depend on the item type you are exporting.

The sort order for items in the resulting document is also listed for each area.

Item lists

You can export items from the following item lists: Issues, Requirement Documents, Requirements, Test Cases, and Test Runs.

  • To export all items in the item list, do not select any items. You can apply a filter to narrow the list of items.
  • To export one or more specific items, select them.
  • Item sorting in the resulting document is the same as the item list column sorting.

Editing and Viewing pages

You can export items from Editing and Viewing pages for the following item types: issues, requirement documents, requirements, test cases, and test runs. Only the open item is exported.

Open requirement documents

  • To export the entire document as displayed, do not select any requirements. Make sure the document is selected at the top of the tree. You can apply a filter to narrow the list of requirements.
  • To export one or more requirements, select them in the requirements tree or content pane.
  • To export a historical version of a document, select a snapshot.
  • Requirement sorting in the resulting document is based on the outline number in the document.

Folders list

You can export folder information and items in folders from the Folders list.

  • To export folder information, click the View Folder List button and select a folder in the folders list. Items in the folder are not exported.
  • To export all items in a folder, click the View Item List button, select the folder in the folders tree, and do not select any items in the items pane. If List recursively is selected, child folder information is also exported.
    • If List recursively is selected, item sorting in the resulting document is based on folders. Column sorting in the items pane for each folder is used when possible. If List recursively is not selected, item sorting is the same as the items pane column sorting for each folder.
    • If the selected template exports a specific item type, List recursively is selected, and item types are selected in the Show list, items are only exported once if they are in multiple folders. Item sorting is based on items Helix ALM finds first when exporting.
  • To export one or more items in a folder, click the View Item List button, and select the items in the items pane.
    • If List recursively is selected, item sorting in the resulting document is based on folders. If items are in multiple folders, they are exported for each folder they are in and item sorting is the same as displayed in the Folders list for every folder. If List recursively is not selected, item sorting is the same as the items pane column sorting
  • You cannot export from the task board view.