How specific ReqIF data is mapped and imported
How data in ReqIF files is mapped in Helix ALM
The following information shows how ReqIF types are generally mapped in Helix ALM. These ReqIF names are specific to the ReqIF specification. The names used in the tool to generate your ReqIF files may not be the same. This information can be helpful when reviewing validation and import errors in Helix ALM.
| ReqIF type | Helix ALM equivalent |
|---|---|
| SpecObjectType | Requirement type |
| SpecObjectType > AttributeDefinitions | Requirement fields |
| SpecObjectType > AttributeDefinitions > DataTypeDefinitionEnumeration | Requirement dropdown field values |
| SpecRelationType | Link definition |
| SpecRelationType > AttributeDefinitions | Link properties |
| SpecificationType | None - ignored |
| SpecificationType > AttributeDefinitions | Requirement document fields |
| SpecificationType > AttributeDefinitions > DataTypeDefinitionEnumeration | Requirement document dropdown field values |
| RelationGroupType | None - ignored |
| RelationGroupType > AttributeDefinitions | None - ignored |
ReqIF supports multiple document types, but Helix ALM only supports one type. Each ReqIF Specification Type is always mapped to the Helix ALM document item type. To preserve Specification Type values from the ReqIF file in a Helix ALM document, use the following workaround:
1. Add a new custom string or dropdown field in Helix ALM. If you add a dropdown field, either add the document type values or configure the mapping file to automatically add the values during import using the createOrMapUnmappedMenuItems property.
2. In the import mapping file, map the ReqIF document type field to the custom field you added.
Links
Helix ALM links have two or more items in them. ReqIF only supports one source item to one destination item.
When importing a ReqIF relation to a Helix ALM parent/child link, the source in the ReqIF relation is imported as the parent in the Helix ALM link. The ReqIF relation's destination is imported as the child in the Helix ALM link. Each ReqIF relation becomes a new link in Helix ALM.
Peer links are not supported during import. If you map a ReqIF SpecRelationType to a Helix ALM peer link definition, an error is displayed in the validation report before import.
You can map ReqIF SpecRelationType attributes to the Comment property in Helix ALM links.
Workflow status
The state, or status, of an item is commonly exported to ReqIF files. The state is not set in Helix ALM during import. To preserve the status of an item from the ReqIF file for reference in Helix ALM, use the following workaround:
1. Add a custom dropdown field in Helix ALM.
2. Add the list of states from the ReqIF file as the values in the dropdown field. Or, you can configure the mapping file to automatically add the values during import using the createOrMapUnmappedMenuItems property.
3. In the import mapping file, map the ReqIF state to the custom field you added.
ReqIF fields with user values (e.g., ReqIF.ForeignCreatedBy) cannot be mapped to Helix ALM user dropdown fields. To preserve the value of a ReqIF user field for reference in Helix ALM, use the following workaround:
1. Add a new custom string field in Helix ALM.
2. In the import mapping file, map the ReqIF user field to the custom field you added.
What is skipped and ignored during imports
The following types of data are skipped or ignored during ReqIF imports.
- ReqIF relation groups — Relation groups are skipped, but links they contain are still imported.
- Helix ALM field relationships — If a ReqIF type is mapped to a Helix ALM field that would not be allowed due to field relationships, the mapping is allowed and the data is imported anyway.
- Helix ALM required fields — If a Helix ALM field is required, but a mapping is not configured for it or there is no value for the mapping, the item is created anyway and the field is left empty without enforcing the required field setting.
- Helix ALM default field values — Default values for new Helix ALM fields are not set during import.