Form Types are the templates for the forms and a form is an instance of a form type. Prior to beginning, have the following information available:

●      Whether the new form type will belong to an existing module or a new one.

●      The form type name, description, and any required fields. TRACE uses the form and field names to find, sort, and report on.

●      The workflow and relationship to other form types.

To modify an existing or create a new form type:

Tutorials Available: Go to Creating or Changing a Form Type for an interactive tutorial on adding new form types to a project.

 

1.    Log into the project as a Project Admin.

2.    From the project home page, click Form Types from the Action links.

●      To add a new form type, click New Form Type… at the top of the Main pane.

●      To modify an existing form type, click the link for the form type that requires modification.

The Create a new Form Type or Edit Form Type dialog displays.

3.    Enter new or edit existing information in form type settings displayed in tabs in the right side of the window:

a)    General tab

●      Name: Enter a name for the form type.

●      ID Prefix: Enter an ID prefix. TRACE automatically places the ID prefix prior to the ID number assigned to the form once a user enters information and saves the form.

For example, a bug with an ID prefix displays in TRACE as B0023. The same bug without an ID prefix displays as 0023. Optionally, select Can Hide to make the "hide prefix" option in the global project options available for this form type.

●      Module: To add the form type to an existing module, select the module from this drop-down list. The module drop-down list displays as default the list of module already added to project.

Click Load Other Modules… option, the last in the list, to load all the modules in the system and select the appropriate one.

If any of the existing modules does not match the project needs, create a new module to add the form type to, by clicking New module icon to open the Create a new Module dialog. See Modify or Create Modules.

●      Description: Enter a brief description for the form type.

●      Numbering: Choose the numbering scheme for the form type or create a new one.

o    TRACE Default: ID prefix followed by 4-digits, with zeroes filling blank spaces.

For example: B0001 or B0023. Similar to issue or bug numbering.

o    TRACE Group Default: Sequential numbering with child forms inheriting parent numbering. For example, if a group number is 1.1, the first child displays as 1.1.1, the second 1.1.2, and so on. Similar to test group, test case, and test step numbering.

o    Change on reorder: Select this to have form type numbering change when users drag a form to a new location within the tree.

●      Workflow: Choose the workflow that best suits the form type's needs. Workflow defines the path from identification to resolution. Choose one of the following:

o    Action Item Default: Open > Close

o    Bug Default: Open > Resolve > Close

o    Issue Default: Open > Resolve > Close

o    Requirement Default: Propose > Approve > Delete

o    Test Run Default: Open > Verify > Close

●      Statuses Display as Drop-down List: Check this option to change the default display on forms of the workflow. By default, the statuses display as a group of radio choices. When this is checked, the statuses display as a drop-down list, more ergonomic with GUI.

b)    Type tab

●      Forms of this type:

o    Track Results: Select to track form results internally. Causes the form to work like test runs; it will save the results.

o    Contain other forms: Select to make this new form type a parent to existing form types, and to create a tree structure in TRACE for the new form type.

For example, the Tests and Requirements modules both contain 'child' forms within their tree structure. Once selected, a new Children tab displays in the middle “form builder” section.

Checking Enable Baseline option makes available the Baseline for trees. Refer to Baselines for details on how to use it.

c)   Sync tab contains settings can be bring from other forms, refer to Reuse of Form Types for details on Base and Customized Form Type

·         Bring new fields from: The customized form-type version will be updated with the new fields from base or other customizations.

This option displays only for a Customized Form Type.

1)    Choose the location from where to bring new fields: from base form type or from a customization from another project.

2)    Clicking Apply button brings fields from location that is not in the current form type.

3)    The form type displays its existing fields and the new fields as highlighted.

4)    Review the new fields: remove unwanted ones, keep the appropriate ones and change field setting accordingly 

5)    Keep in mind that the form and the changes are not saved yet. Click Save to save the changes, if this is all you need or keep continue the customization.

·         Copy fields from: The customized form-type version will be replaced with fields from base or other customizations.

This option displays only for a Customized Form Type and works as Bring new fields from above, the main difference is that when fields are bring from source location, the existing fields of form type are removed from display.

·         Revert to Base: The customized form-type version reverts to base and save it.

This option displays only for a Customized Form Type. When applying it, the form automatically saves your action.

·         Customize for project: reloads page and starts a Customized Form Type

This option displays only for a Base Form Type.

·         Customize base: loads base form type for changing.

This option displays only for a Base Form Type.

d)   Email tab:

·         Notification Email Template: chosen template establishes what information is displayed on the email notification. See Email Notification.

o    Complete: displays entire information as is displayed on the form

o    Restricted: displays the form Summary, Form ID and the form link

o    Very Restricted: displays only the Form ID

4.    Use the form builder section of the dialog to build and/or edit the form type. By default, the General tab displays.

a)    To change the tab name, enter the new name in the Tab Name field.

b)    To add a new tab:

1)    Click + icon

2)    Enter the tab name in the Tab Name field.

3)    Left-click the tab and drag it – left or right – to the desired location.

c)    To remove a tab:

1)    Click the tab name.

2)    Click Remove Tab.

5.    Click the tab to add fields to or edit fields on.

6.    Add fields to the tab:

a)    To add an existing field, click the field name link in the lower section of the dialog in the Fields list. Once clicked, the field displays in the selected tab in the middle “form builder” section of the dialog.

Fields are displayed in 3 categories:

                            i. Standard containing all global fields, that can be re-used in any project but cannot by changed by Project Administrator. Only TRACE Admin can create and change global fields.

                           ii. Editable by You containing fields created in the current project and in the projects where you have Project Administrator rights.

                          iii. Other containing fields created in other projects that you can reuse but not change.

Tip: Use the field search box to find fields. Search by field name, by field type or by the project name that created the field. Then use the Details link displayed for each field to inspect and review the field settings.

b)    To add a new field, click the  icon in the lower section of the dialog. Refer to Modify or Create Fields for information on defining new fields.

c)    To move a field’s location, left-click the   icon next to the field and drag it up or down to a new location.

Tip: To change the name of an existing field, it is not necessary to create a new field. Add the field to the form type and then click More to update the field name.

d)    To make a field required, select the Required checkbox next to the field.

Figure 6‑4 Field Options

e)    To set additional field properties, click More to the right of the field. Options include:

●      Internal: Select to make this field available to users marked as Internal.

·         Group with previous: Select to have the field display side-by-side with the previous field.

·         On change Trigger Email: Select to trigger an email notification sent to notifiable users when field value is changed

·         Add creator to this field: Displays only for user fields. Select to add automatically the form creator to the field when creating a form of this type.

·         Receives emails on change (in To or in CC field of the email). Displays only for user fields. Select to include the users from this field into notifiable user list (email distribution list) for receiving email notifications when this form is changed.

·         Rename: Enter a new field name.

Tip: Click Less to hide field properties.

7.    Perform Steps 5 and 6, above, until all the tabs have all the fields necessary for the form type.

8.    For tree form types, select the Children tab to define the parent/child hierarchy. For sequential form types, go to Step 11.

a)    The Allowable child type(s) section identifies which form types can be chosen as a child form. These form types will establish the tree structure. For example, in the Requirements Group, the allowable child types are Requirements Group (itself) and requirement. This means that a Requirements Group can contain other Requirements Groups and Requirements only.

To allow a similar structure with the form type, select the Itself checkbox. To add a new form type, click New Form Type…. This launches another instance of the Create a new Form Type dialog. Follow the instructions in Steps 3 through 6, above, to define the new child form type. Save the form type to continue and return.

b)    Select Children are edited within this form to allow child form types to be edited within the parent. The Test Case form type provides an example of this as the parent form type to the Test Step form type child form. When selected, child form type information displays on the parent form type page, and as a separate tab on the parent form type when a user enters information to create a new item in TRACE.

c)    Select Children inherit their parent’s ID to have child forms display the same ID number as the parent form with an additional ID number added after the character entered in the Separate child IDs with field. For example, if the parent form has an ID number of 1.2, and a period (.) is used as a character to separate child IDs, then the child ID would be 1.2.1, then 1.2.2, and so on.

d)    Fill in the Separate child IDs with input. Usually the separator is . (dot) and is the dot found in the Form ID like TG 1.1.2 or TS 1.2.3.2

In some cases it may be useful to set the separator set to - or / or anything else. So the form ids will look like TG 1-1-2.

e)    In the Tree Name field, enter a tree name, which displays as the tab name at the top of the tree level in TRACE.

Figure 6‑5 Tree Name Example

9.    For tree form types, select the Children tab to define the parent/child hierarchy. For sequential form types, go to Step 11.

10. For run form types, select the Results tab to define the run settings. For sequential form types, go to Step 11.

a)    The Track results for section identifies which form types can be chosen as runnable/executable form. For example, in Test Run tracks results for Test Case. This means that when a Test Run is executed it only can execute Test Cases and Test Steps (which are inner children of Test Cases).

b)    Select Allowed Results to provide the possible results (options) for when a Test Run is selected. Select Force Comment to force the user to input a comment when provide a specific result. For example a set of results can be Pass, Fail (with Force Comment checked). When the user executes a Test Run the only options are Pass or Fail. If chose Fail he must provide a comment explaining the context.

11. Click Save to save the new or newly edited form type.