How can I create requirement traceability matrix in JIRA?

[Annaso Chandure]

Hello Team,

                    We want to connect test cases(From Excel sheets) and Customer requirements in JIRA. Is there any provision provided for it?

[Andrew Makar · Accepted solution]

In my past program, we developed requirements in JIRA and test cases in JIRA but assigned the test cases a separate issue type.

By using Confluence, I would drag the requirement ticket into a table in Confluence.

Then any test cases, attachments, text or clarifying comments were entered into the Confluence page (either in the table cell or in the page's comments section)

Defects were also mapped against requirements so the team could understand which requirements still had open defects.

I use this approach now when brainstorming requirements for a project.

At the start of the project, the requirements are very high level.  By using Confluence and JIRA, I refine the requirements into separate tickets, drag them into a Confluence page and then have a nice requirements traceability matrix with ongoing documentation.

[emily.holcomb]

Hi, Andy - Could you share an example of this? I'd appreciate it! :) 

[Andrew Makar]

Hi - Here is a screen shot of a simple Requirements Traceability Matrix in Confluence using tasks/users stories or any JIRA issue type.

Just create table, manually enter the high level requirements and drag the detailed user stories into the table.

I find it very useful to break down high level requirements into user stories and track the delivery of the high level requirement to the detailed user story.

When you are first defining scope, it helps to identify the high level requirements and then map to the detailed requirements.

Let me know if you have any questions!

[Rana Senojak]

Hi - good info thanks. I am relatively new to JIRA. The part I am having trouble with is as follows, if you can help that would be great.

For example: Auditor needs to track a financial approval process. I need to be able to confidently go back to the business and demonstrate how the story was delivered.

The Dev Team may close, reword, split / merge with another story - this is where it gets hard to track the original story.

I am looking for a dynamic update.

It looks like I need to build this table up so I'll also look to add Epics, Sprints and Acceptance testing

Below is my Question link

https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Jira-questions/Story-Requirements-tracing-in-JIRA/qaq-p/1127537

Many thanks

Rana

[Jennifer Raspanti]

Good info. I was struggling with the RTM and have already invested in Zephyr for testing so this is good solution.

[Andrew Makar]

Thanks @Jennifer Raspanti It's a simple and quick way to manage the requirements.  I've found it really useful for SOWs and tracking all the needs were delivered and met.

[Deleted user]

Hi Andrew,

Also fairly new to Jira and Confluence.

Are you able to expand on your comment

'By using Confluence, I would drag the requirement ticket into a table in Confluence.'

From what view in Jira are you able to drag a ticket?

Regards

Michael

[Rina Nir]

@[deleted] 

I do not know of a way to drag a ticket; I assume that it relates to copying the link to the issue (copy from the URL line in your browser) and past it in the specific location in the Confluence table where you want it to appear.

The Jira issue will be displayed nicely in Confluence and link to Jira.

[Bernhard Doleschel (Ease Solutions)]

Disclaimer: I´m from Ease Solutions, the vendor of R4J - Requirements Management for Jira

For all test app lovers, requirements and issue mangers looking for an app to organize and trace your links from e.g requirements over implementation tasks to test case:

Additional to a flexible, free structure to organize any kind of issue in your hierarchical tree we 

• show the relation between single Jira issues as link graph
  
• share the links between multiple issues as X-Y-Matrix
  
  
• analyse the trace over connected link-chains as our Coverage View
  

If you interested, give it a try/trial or ask for a free tool demo.

BTW, test cases can be from any test app, also from our T4J - Test Management for Jira, as long they are Jira issues.

Have a great day, Bernhard

[Manuel]

Hi @Annaso Chandure ,

I would suggest migrating those tests to actual Test issues in Jira... but not simple Test issues (you could do that but I would not recommend it). You need to have tests in Jira where you can have all the details, such as their steps, and other properties. I prefer Xray Test Management for managing testing activities; provides a Traceability report for this purpose. You can use it to create tests and link them to Story or Epic issues, for example.

Some teams use Confluence to add more details about their requirements and use Jira more to track the development effort/tasks. If that's the case, it can be helpful to have traceability visibility in confluence. There's a app for Confluence named Xray Reports for Confluence that can serve this purpose, if you're using Xray Test Management in Jira for testing.

This app allows you to embed testing reports, based on data from Xray Test Management, directly into your pages in Confluence. It provides several macros tailored for this, that allow you, for example, to track traceability.

To get it working, you'll need to follow these steps, which require installing not just this app on Confluence but also a "Connector" app in your Jira instance:

1. install the Xray Reports Connector for Jira app on your Jira cloud instance
2. install the Xray Reports app in your Confluence cloud instance
3. configure the Xray API client id and client secret on the settings of the Xray Reports for Confluence app; you need to obtain the client id and client secret from your Xray API Key settings, in your Jira cloud instance

More info on the installation steps here.

[Vallabh Bhandare]

@Andrew Makar how do you manage the test cases within JIRA? If you have to modularise the test cases or for that matter create the test execution cycles then, how do you replicate this aspect in JIRA.

[Andrew Makar]

We use Test Rail which integrates with the Jira issue type.  This way the Jira issue type still represents the requirement and the test cases are aligned to the issue type.

[Sandeep Kaur]

@Andrew Makar Is it possible for you to share an example or screenshot of how you integrate testrail with Jira issue type please?

[Andrew Makar]

Hi @Sandeep Kaur  I no longer have access to that JIRA repository but it simply was an integration with JIRA and Test Rail.

JIRA displays the test rail link within the ticket.  I'm sure if you contact the TestRail software vendor they can help you further.

Andy

[Sandeep Kaur]

Thank you for this info! Appreciate it!

[Curt Otto]

We use a tool called Xray for test implementation and tracking.  

The tool integrates with Jira. 

Each automated test or test case is documented automatically as a sub task to the user story, task or bug. 

[Andrea]

Hi @Annaso Chandure

In order to create a Traceability Matrix in Jira, I would recommend to try our TraceabilityX app for Jira

You can download it and try it to see if works for you. Any questions you may have, do not hesitate to raise a support ticket from our vendor page.

Regards,

Andrea

[Frank John]

Hi Andrea: can the same app used for the cloud version? Please advise.

[Andrea]

Hi Frank, 

Sorry for the late response. I miss the notification.

TraceabilityX app is not Cloud Compatible yet. 

We are working to make it possible, but it is too soon yet to share a roadmap. 

Stay tuned and do not hesitate in reaching us if you have any comments or questions. 

Regards

[Patrick]

@Andrea Do you know if and when the app will be available for Jira Cloud?

[Rina Nir]

@Patrick 
an App which is available for Cloud is: Jira Snapshots for Confluence . Assuming you use Jira links (or other ways of Jira relations) between your traceability items, then this will allow you to create static traceability views in Confluence.
PS: If you don't have Confluence you can just spin a free Confluence and use it there.
PS2: the listing has a short video that takes you through a demo.
(Disclosure- I am from the developers of this App)

Hope this helps,

Rina

[moon char]

@Rina Nir 

I am not sure you are still part of the development team for "Jira Snapshot for Confluence". It is a great tool to create a tracibility report from Jira. 

But the sorting (such as by Sprint or Label) of second level or third level is not working properly as intended.