How to Generate a Graph

This task describes how to analyze data in ALM using graphs.

To learn more about graphs, see Graphs and Dashboard Pages Overview.

This section contains:

  1. Create a graph

    Use one of the following:

    • Launch the Graph Wizard

      The Graph Wizard guides you through the steps involved in creating a Business View or an Entity graph and configuring its settings. You launch the graph wizard either from the Analysis View module, or while working in one of the other ALM modules.

      In the Analysis View module. On the ALM sidebar, under Dashboard, select Analysis View, right-click a folder, and select Graph Wizard. You use this method to create Business View and Entity graphs.

      In other modules. In the Requirements, Business Components, Test Plan, Test Lab, or Defects module, select Analysis > Graphs > Graph Wizard. This method creates Entity graphs only.

      For user interface details, see Graph Wizard.

    • Entity graphs: Create a predefined graph

      While working in the Requirements, Business Components, Test Plan, Test Lab, or Defects module, generate an impromptu graph to analyze the module data.

      In any of the above modules, select Analysis > Graphs and select one of the predefined graphs. For user interface details, see View Tab - Graphs/Graph Window.

    • Create a graph in the Analysis View module

      1. Open the Analysis View module. On the ALM sidebar, under Dashboard, select Analysis View.

      2. Add a folder to the analysis tree. Right-click a folder under the Private or Public root folder, and select New Folder.

      3. Create a new graph. Right-click a folder, and select the graph type. For entity graphs, select New Graph, and for business view graphs select New Business View Graph. Fill in the fields in the New Graph dialog box or New Business View Graph dialog box respectively.

        For New Graph dialog box user interface details, see New Graph Dialog Box.

    Tip: For samples of how to create graphs for Business Process Testing framework metrics, see this KB article.

  2. Configure a graph

    Configure graph settings, such as data filtering, grouping, and x-axis values.

    Click the Configuration tab. For user interface details, see Configuration Tab/Window - Graphs.

    Available from: Analysis View module

  3. View a graph

    Use one of the following:

    • In the Analysis View module. Click the View tab.

    • In other modules. From the module menu, select Analysis > Most Recently Used and select a recently used graph. The selected graph opens in the Analysis View module.

    For user interface details, see View Tab - Graphs/Graph Window.

  4. Edit graph categories

    You can group together values in the grouped-by or x-axis field, and display the combined data as a single category.

    1. In the View tab or graph window, click the Edit Categories arrow , and select one of the available options.

    2. Create or change existing categories. For user interface details, see Edit <Type> Categories Dialog Box.

      3. Example:  

      Suppose the Priority field is selected in the graph Grouped By field, and the Priority field has five values: Low, Medium, High, Very High, and Urgent. You might combine the values Medium and High into a category Important, and the values Very High and Urgent into a category Critical. The graph would then display data divided into three categories: Low, Important, and Critical.

  5. Entity graphs: Drill down to graph data

    In bar and pie charts, you can drill down to the records represented by a selected bar or segment, and view details of individual records.

    ALM Editions: Cross-project graphs are not supported in Quality Center Enterprise Edition. For information about ALM editions and their functionality, see ALM Editions. To find out what edition of ALM you are using, ask your ALM site administrator.

    1. In the View tab or graph window, click a segment or bar in the graph.

    2. If the segment or bar represents records from multiple projects, the Project Selection dialog box opens. Select a project.

    3. If you selected to view data from another project, or if the segment or bar represents records from only another project, the project opens in a separate browser window. If applicable, you are prompted to log in. The records are displayed in the relevant ALM module.

    4. If the segment or bar represents records from only the current project, or if you selected to view data from the current project, the records are displayed in the Drill Down Results dialog box. For user interface details, see Drill Down Results Dialog Box.

  6. Allow ALM users or others to view read-only versions of graphs outside ALM.

    1. In the analysis tree, right-click a graph, and select Share Analysis Item.

    2. In the Share Analysis Item dialog box, select a share option. For details of the options, see Share Analysis Item Dialog Box .

      A URL of the selected graph is copied to the clipboard.

    3. Paste the URL in a website or email.

    4. Click the URL to open a read-only version of the graph in a Web browser. Each time you access the graph, after set intervals, it displays the most up-to-date information.

      Note: You can change the frequency at which graph data is updated by adding and configuring the GRAPH_RESULT_LIFESPAN site configuration parameter. For details, refer to the Micro Focus Application Lifecycle Management Administrator Guide: Setting ALM Configuration Parameters.

    Available from: Analysis View module

  7. View several graphs together in a dashboard page. For task details, see How to Generate a Dashboard Page.