HP Quality Center/ALM is now changed to Micro Focus Quality Center/ALM but still, the content on the page is valid on the new Micro Focus domain and tools as well.
In the last two Micro Focus Quality Center/ALM tutorials, we saw QC Introduction and Installation guide. In this tutorial, let us continue the tutorial by means of an example.
(Note: Please allow some time for the article to load, as it contains a huge list of tutorial screenshots).
Consider your AUT (Application Under Test) to be Gmail.com or any other email application.
=> Click Here For ALM Quality Center Tutorials Series
Given below is the list of features that we need to test for High-Level Testing – without taking field level validations into account.
- Login – with correct credentials
- Login – incorrect credential handling
- Forgot Password
- New user Registration
These features are going to be part of a certain release that has a couple of cycles – we will see how we can define this information through ALM. Clearly, the above-listed items are your requirements. By definition, a requirement is a business need or a testing need.
How do we write the Requirements, Create Test Cases, link them to requirements, Create test sets, execute the tests, Create Defects and link them back to test cases and eventually to requirements, linking all the test assets (test cases, requirements, and defects) on multiple levels to Releases and cycles are the things that we are trying to learn through these tutorials.
Table of Contents:
Release and Cycle
Release is nothing but a significant change or changes that are going live at a given time.
Cycles are the different sets of testing efforts that are performed to facilitate the release.
For example, from the above-listed features, if you need feature 1 and 2 to go live on 30th May 2013 and the next 2 features on 30th June 2013. You can name the first one as “May release” and the second one as “June release”.
Take a look at the table below: (click on any image to enlarge)
Observations:
- Each release comes with a predefined set of requirements that are expected to be done by a certain time.
- The phases are nothing but cycles. Each Release will have different Cycles within it.
- Both cycles and Releases have the start and end dates defined.
We have outlined the Release and Cycle information in the form of the above table and we have captured all the information regarding it right here in this word document.
If you find yourself asking, why ALM then? – Through ALM, you can trace the release/cycle information all the way from requirements, test cases, and defects thereby ensuring complete transparency and traceability.
Steps to Create a New Release/Cycle in ALM
Step #1: Login to ALM into with your username and password, into the domain and project you require.
Step #2: Go to the sidebar options “Management -> Releases”.
Step #3: Create a Release folder: You can create a new release folder or directly create a release here. To create a new folder, choose the “New Release Folder” from the menu or right-click on the “Releases” root folder and choose “New Release Folder”. Enter the name and click OK. The folder gets added to the hierarchical structure under Releases.
Enter the folder name:
Step #4: Create Release: Under the newly created folder, I am going to add a ‘New Release’. You can choose the “New Release” from the menu or right-click on the root folder and choose “New Release” or choose Ctrl+R. Enter the Name. As you can see, the start date and end date are the required fields.
There is a description box where you can enter any text and then you can upload any supporting documents under attachments. Enter the information as required and click OK.
Enter Release details:
Step #5: The Release gets added.
Step #6: Adding Cycles: The next step is to add Cycles. Under the newly added Release, the option to add a new Release folder or Release is disabled. You have options in the menu to add a new Cycle activated or the right-click menu has the option or Ctrl+Y keys can be used. Use any one of these and choose to add a new Cycle.
Again, names, start dates, and end dates are mandatory items. Enter the same and click OK.
Enter Cycle details:
Step #7: The Cycle will now get added to the Cycle. This is how the May and June release information from our table is going to look once it is all added to ALM.
Step #8: There are some validations for entering the cycle dates. They have to fall within the range of the release dates under which the cycle is created. If not, a validation message gets displayed.
Step #9: Once it is created. Choose the “May release” and observe its data.
The master plan tab will display the timeline for the release with its Cycle information.
Step #10: The Status attachment displays the progress of the Release.
More information on these fields is going to get updated as and when we keep linking more requirements and in turn tests and defects. We will always retrace our steps backward and see how each additional linking affects the former components.
Steps to Create Requirements
Step #1: Go to the “Requirements -> Requirements” option from the ALM sidebar.
Step #2: Create a new Requirement folder. For consistency, I am going to go with the names, ALM training – May release and June Release subfolders. Enter the name and click OK.
Step #3: Once created, you can choose the tree folder structure and add additional properties.
Step #4: Adding Requirements: Click on the “New Requirement” icon from the menu while choosing the folder under which you want to add the requirement. The author’s name gets auto-populated. Enter the name and choose the relevant requirement type from the drop-down. I am going to choose “Testing”.
Step #5: Link the requirement to a cycle and release: Once you have added the requirement name and other details, you can now link it to any Release and Cycles as desired. You can do that by clicking on the “Target Release” drop-down and selecting the Release information. Since in our example this belongs to the May release, I am going to choose the same from the drop-down.
Note: You can associate a requirement with more than one release.
Step #6: To choose the Cycle. Click on the “Target Cycle” drop-down and choose the required Cycle. Since our login is a crucial function, I would like to perform it in every cycle. I am going to map it to all 3 cycles under the May release. Here is how I do it.
Step #7: You can then assign additional details like the priority, provide attachments and other details before you Submit. The requirement gets added.
Step #8: If you need to modify or update the requirement, you can do so, by double-clicking from the tree view.
The following window opens up:
Step #9: For every requirement, a “Req. ID” gets auto-generated. In this case, it is “7”.
Step #10: Also there are other features like Requirement traceability, Test coverage, etc in the sidebar of the “Requirement Details” dialog. We will discuss all that in detail once we finish understanding the end-to-end flow from Releases/Cycles-requirements-tests-test sets-defects.
Requirements and Release Statistics
Now that we have created one requirement and linked it with Release and Cycle, let us see how this linking affects the “Release” and “Cycle” properties for the ones we created earlier.
#1) Navigate back to “Management-> Releases” from the sidebar.
#2) Select one of the cycles we added earlier. Note the properties:
#3) Notice the statistics section, it shows “1” for the “Requirements assigned to cycle”. It now clearly indicates how many requirements are associated with this cycle.
#4) Same thing with the Release. Hit the refresh button if the statistics don’t get updated immediately.
Remember that ALM does not mandate that a requirement created be mapped back to a Release or Cycle. It is merely a best practice to do so and when done, you can completely leverage the ALM features to your benefit. The same thing applies to Tests.
Once you create the tests you don’t necessarily have to link them back to the requirements and/or releases. But then, you will not be utilizing the tool to its 100% if you don’t.
Important Points to Note
#1) In real-time projects, all the data i.e. the requirements and tests are created in either excel sheets or word documents instead of directly creating them in ALM. This is not a tool imposed pre-requisite but testing teams across different companies find this more comfortable.
One of the reasons for this is that you can keep local copies of the data on your machine thereby reducing the network overhead.
#2) You can import the data (requirements or tests) into ALM from Microsoft Word or Excel. To do so, you will need a Micro Focus ALM Microsoft Word Add-in or Micro Focus ALM Microsoft Excel Add-in respectively.
#3) You can also integrate ALM with an email server to make sure automatic email alerts can be sent to concerned parties based on certain conditions. For example, when a new defect is logged in or there has been a status change of the defect etc.
#4) While creating folders, releases and cycles make sure that you choose the right parent node.
#5) ALM organizes and stores data in a Grid or tree form.
Conclusion
I really hope this session gives you a tiny peek of what Micro Focus ALM can do for your project and how best you can manage all your testing-related activities in one place.
In the next Quality Center Tutorial, we will see how to create and manage test cases.
=> Visit Here For ALM Quality Center Tutorials Series
If you like this tutorial, please consider sharing it with your friends. You can also put your questions in the comment section below. As always, we appreciate your feedback.
it’s very clear with the example. Also got good idea of release cycles.
This article is really very good and easy to understand.
Thanks for sharing this document.
Great effort…! Very much helpful for the freshers.
Very good information.thanks.one of the step requirement id you said is 7…but in pic shows as 12.
Must read article for freshers.. thanks a lot 🙂
Verry helpful Thanks a lot for this Professionall article
You’r the Best 🙂
this is great article…and how will admin add the requirement types in QC. Please explain with a screen shot…
I am proficient at different tool by experience and was starting to believe the only way to quickly learn is by trial and error method; Well this web site has proven me wrong. Because I did not have ALM software, I was almost four days behind the entire class, but I believe I will be able to be in level with most students just by following this web page for about six hours. Very nicely executed. Please rewrite the instructions again for the year 2017. Thank You.
What issues might occur during ALM upgrade or installation and how to resolve them?
Excelent! Thank you so much
when we create test requirement with test cases linking, is possible the requirement filter by dedicated test campaign in the test lab?
Hi ,
in Step 4, there are different types of requirements . Can you please explain where i can find more details about the requirement types?
Thanks,
Rekha.
Thanks much for this very useful and nice explanation.
Hi,
Is it possible to move a Cycle from one Release Folder to another Release Folder? i,e,. is it possible to ‘cut’ a Cycle from one Release and paste it in under another Release?
@Swati – Thanks and I did check your day 4 tutorial.
Great job!
Very useful tutorial and very good explanation.
Thank you so much.
This Tutorial helps me to learn QC easily. Very good Explanation with step by step screenshots. Thank you very much.
I have noticed a minor mistake in” Step #10: The Status attachment displays the progress of the release:”
I think it should be “The Status Tab”
Its really simple and easy. Thanks a lot….waiting for the next tutorial
Still I want to know about the Requeirment type option , where we have the Functional and Testing option, so could you please let me know the when and where exactly we should use thoes option.
Thanks
Shruti
Good Work. Keep it up!!
easy to understand that
thanks vijay……..
Excellent training presentation1
Thanks
Can someone please tell me :
I understand we created Requirements in Step # 4 and defined them as “Testing ”
Now, in Step # 6, we are chosing a “Cycle” for the Requirements created.
But, where were or how the ” TYPE OF TESTING “(as shown : Functional, Smoke & Sanitu) defined?
In which step?
Appreciate your feedback in advance.
Thanks for being the only one who explains clearly how see the requirements associated to release!
Very nice article
Nice
Thank you so much for having created this tutorial. It is very easy to follow and gives a good understanding of QC. Brilliant work.
Teaching us by covering all related screenshots is good. It helps to learn/grasp easily. Thanks.
Nice and Thank you.
could you plz temme how to generate rtm in QC???
@Kedar: Tests and the test cycles are going to be in the next article. I am also going to introduce dashboard and other analysis tool in the last article.
Superb explanation!!!
Sounds good
How can I add requirement type? I could not find requirement type “Testing” for adding a requirement? does requirement type maintains by admin user?
Hi,
Thanks for the tutorial. I wonder if you can help me with an issue I have in HP ALM 11.52. We recently upgraded QC from v10.0 to v11.52 and in the transition for a specific Requirements folder it assigned all the requirements to both Releases and cycles. The Test Exection is now completed for both Releases and I need the requierment stats of how mnay requirements were tested per Release/cycle. Is it possibel to filter the requirements based on the Test Set folder in Test Lab?
Thanks
Very useful. Teaching with example and screenshot is an excellent stuff. Easily understoodable.
Great! I could recommend this to my colleagues who want to have a start up on HP ALM or QC.
Steps are very simple and easy to execute.
Good one …written in easy language with screenshots. We can grasp the things easily by reading with out facing any difficulties
Any plans to teach us about ALM tables i.e TEST,TESTCYCL..etc and commonly used dashboard queries
Really its very useful material thank Q very much
@Wendy: Yes, Wendy. If “Requirement Type” is a field that you would want for your project, an admin can create that for you.
i wanted to know more clarification of Step #7: You can then assign additional details like the priority, provide attachments and other details before you Submit. The requirement gets added.
Step #10: Also there are other features like requirement traceability, test coverage, etc in the side bar of the “Requirement Details” dialog. We will discuss all that in details once we finish understanding the end to end flow from releases/cycles-requirements-tests-test sets-defects.
Great! I could recommend this to my colleagues who want to have a start up on HP ALM or QC.
Steps are very simple and easy to execute.
Yes I am able to understand QC Its very help Thanks a lot
Can you explain the functionality of each requirement types?
The best; clear step by step descriptive instructions. Really cool for self-learning coz its so detailed and well explained
@Mahesh: I am glad to hear this article cleared up questions you had about releases in ALM.
Libraries are going to be in article number 5.
I am not going to cover business models. It requires a standard modeling tool first to create business models and then the created models are imported into ALM.
If you need more information on the topics, i suggest you refer to the User guide.
I hope I helped.
Who created the requirements in the HO ALM
the BA or tester?
Cool stuff! Thanks very much for the effort that you have put in create this excellent stuff. Can you please show us how to map the requirements? I mean RTM.
Thanks in advance!
i want to create a new requirement at requirement tab,but the new requirement folder option,as well as new requirement is in disable mode.what can i do to bring the new requirement folder option and new requirement options in enable mode.
Regarding Step#9 in the Steps to Create Requirements section,the mentioned Requirement ID in the text is 7 and it is 12 in the screenshot. Even though this doesn’t seem to be a big thing, Please update this since the learners will try to associate the content to screenshots.
I don’t have the “masterplan tab”. Is it possible to get it or do I have an old version of HPQC maybe?
This tutorial is very helpful if you realy want to learn about QC.
Previously I have not known much about Release management as we have not used the same in my previous assignments. This step by step tutorial helped me in understanding the Release management efficiently.
Could you please provide some lights on ‘Libraries’ under Management and ‘Business models’ under ‘Requirements’ tabs?
Thanks much!!
Mahesh
For every new item creation, only “Click on New” option is explained here which one can learn individually. After click on New symbol and adding a name, subsequent steps aren’t added. Creation of New Requirement/Folder in this tab asks Team Name and I have searched a lot for it but no go. How to create a New Team please explain.
I have windows 10 in my computer how can I install ALM in my computer. I downloded the ios files. When I started my installation it displays an error “Your operating system does not support ALM server”. How can I overcome this problem could any help me please?
@Wendy: More over, the screen shot for step 6 shows the “Requirement Type” field. Pls check the right most field on the top
Really its a superb information which is very useful for job aspirants on testing.
This Document is SUPER!!, and very nicely explained
@Irfan: The requirement mapping is covered in the next article. I wanted to have tests created and then the requirements mapped. So please stay tuned for the next one.
This tutorial is really benefit for those who want to study demanding topics by own.Great work team!!!
The article was very easy to understand, I’d definitely say that you have done an awesome job!! Keep it up.Thanks
Here Req id is 12 not 7.please check it out a Step 9.
Thanks a lot,this tutorial is very help full my career.
Hi,
Thank you for the brief description about the Requirements and Release Cycle Management. I have 1 doubt, that all the requirements, release and cycles are created by ALM Admin/TL or Team Member. Can you please clarify about my doubt.
Thank You
What a brilliant session..!! Impressed.
It is a spoon feeding session that helped lot!!