Import Requirements

Squash allows you to import a tree of requirements from an .xls file.

To import requirements, you must complete an Excel file by following the procedure on completing a requirements import file. Then, you can import this Excel file by using the [Import] option in the Requirement workspace. It is possible to simulate the import to verify the coherence of the import file before importing it.

Completing a Requirements Import File

Importing requirements via an Excel file allows you to mass create or modify a portfolio of requirements. You can import requirements, their attributes as well as associated items (requirements and test cases).

This feature is very useful, especially in these cases:

• when you have to migrate requirements from a third-party tool;
• when you have to retrieve a portfolio of specifications from an existing document;
• when you have to mass modify requirements already in Squash.

In Squash, you can import a tree of requirements from an .xls, .xlsx, or .xlsm file.

Import File structure

The import file is composed of three tabs: REQUIREMENT, LINK_REQ_TC, and LINK_REQ_REQ. If you have a Squash Premium license, there is a fourth tab: LINK_HIGH_LEVEL_STANDARD_REQ.

• The REQUIREMENT tab allows you to enter the information related to the requirements to import such as location, description, criticality, etc.;
• The LINK_REQ_TC tab allows you to enter the information to link requirements to case tests already in Squash;
• The LINK_REQ_REQ tab allows you to enter the information to link requirement versions to each other (either already in Squash, or in an import file);
• The LINK_HIGH_LEVEL_STANDARD_REQ tab allows you to enter the information to link high-level requirements to standard requirements (either already in the Squash or in the import file).

REQUIREMENT Tab

LINK_REQ_TC Tab

If you want to link requirements and test cases in the repository, the three fields are mandatory.

LINK_REQ_REQ Tab

If you want to link requirements, the five fields are mandatory.

LINK_HIGH_LEVEL_STANDARD_REQ Tab

If you want to link high-level requirements to standard requirements, the two fields are mandatory.

Importing Requirements

Importing allows you to create requirements with all the features available in the Requirement workspace.

Creating a Tree of Requirements

The tree is very important because it allows you to organize the requirements repository. Importing allows you to create a precise tree of items to import. You can do this in several projects at once: Requirements, Folders, Parent and child requirements, etc.

If the folders are not in Squash during the import, they are created by the import.

For example:

For the path /Project1/Folder1/ParentRequirement/ChildRequirement:

• If the parent requirement is already in the repository, the child requirement is added under the parent requirement;
• If the parent requirement is not in the repository but in the import file BEFORE the child requirement, the child requirement is added under the parent requirement;
• If the parent requirement does not exist in the repository nor after the child requirement, the child requirement is added to the parent requirement file, which is a sub-folder of Folder 1.

Importing Requirement Versions

To create several versions of the same requirement, in the Excel file, you must assign one line to one version. You must enter the number of the version you want to create in the REQ_VERSION_NUM column.

To modify a requirement version's attributes, the REQ_VERSION_NUM column must be filled with the number of the version to modify and the REQ_PATH column the path of the requirement's current version.

Importing requirements with a custom list

If a custom list is set up for the project's requirements category, in the import file, fill in the option code wanted in the REQ_VERSION_CATEGORY column.

For example:

1. To have a custom list with several options, including Option2 linked to the Opt2EN code.

1. In the Excel file, fill in the option code value in the REQ_VERSION_CATEGORY column: here Opt2EN.
2. The requirement is created when the file is imported. The Category field is filled by Option2

Importing requirements with custom fields

If custom fields (CUF) are set up for the project's requirements, in the import file, the REQ_VERSION_CUF_<cuf code> column can be filled. There must be one column for each custom field. The column's heading must contain the custom field's code, which is available on its consultation page.

REQ_VERSION_CUF_<cuf code\> Column Content:

Importing Requirements related to Test Cases

You must fill in the LINK_REQ_TC tab of the import file with the requirement path, the version number, as well as the path of the test case to be linked. For the linking to work, the test case must already be in the repository.

The information is visible after the import in the requirement's Test case verifying this requirement anchor.

Importing Requirements related to other Requirements

You must fill in the import file's LINK_REQ_REQ tab with the path of the two requirements to be linked as well as their version number and the link type code. For the linking to work, the requirement to be linked must already be in the repository or in the import file.

The information is visible after the import in the requirement's Linked requirements anchor.

Importing Requirements with links between high-level and standard requirements

You must fill in the LINK_HIGH_LEVEL_STANDARD_REQ tab of the import file with the high-level requirement path and the standard requirement path. For the linking to work, the requirements to be linked must already be in the repository or in the import file.

The information is visible after the import in the high-level requirement's Standard requirements linked to this high-level requirement anchor and in the standard requirement's High level requirement field.

Constraints on imported rich texts

Imported rich texts (HTML text) should only contain basic elements and attributes.

Allowed elements are: a, b, blockquote, br, caption, center, cite, code, col, colgroup, dd, del, div, dl, dt, em, figure, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, hr, i, img, ins, li, ol, p, pre, q, s, small, span, strike, strong, sub, sup, table, tbody, td, tfoot, th, thead, tr, u, and ul.

Allowed attributes for all elements are: align, aria-hidden, border, cellpadding, cellspacing, class, dir, height, id, lang, rel, role, style, tabindex, title, and width.

Additionally, some elements support specific attributes. These are listed below:

Allowed protocols for URI attributes are:

Any other element or attribute may be ignored by Squash TM.
(Additionally, future Squash TM releases may reject the import of a file containing HTML elements or attributes not present in this list.)