Cross Project Customization Overview

Implementing cross project customization involves the following steps:

  • Creating a Template Project. The site administrator creates template projects and assigns template administrators in Site Administration. For details, see Creating Template Projects.

  • Linking the Template to Projects. The site administrator selects projects to link to a template in Site Administration. For details, see Linking a Template to Projects.

  • Customizing the Template Project. As template administrator, you customize a template project to meet the policy needs of your organization. The template customizations that are applied to linked projects include: user groups and permissions, module access, project entities, project requirement types, project lists, PPT, report templates, and workflow.

  • Verifying Cross Project Customization. Before applying template customization to linked projects, you must verify that ALM can successfully apply customization from the template to the projects. For details, see Verifying Cross Project Customization.

  • Applying Customization to Linked Projects. After defining or updating customization in the template, you apply the customization to the linked projects. For details, see Applying Template Project Customization to Linked Projects.

  • Sharing Dashboards and Reports as Templates Across Projects. You can share dashboards and reports as templates across projects. This applies to Analysis and Dashboard entities in the Public folder of the Dashboard module. For details, see Applying Template Project and Reports Customization to Linked Projects. (Available from ALM 15.0.1.)

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Cross Project Customization Examples

The following examples demonstrate how you can use cross project customization:

  • Set a standard for working with defects.

    The QA manager wants to limit how testers can modify defects. For example, you want to allow testers to modify the status of defects to Fixed, but not to Closed, to allow the QA manager to review the defect before closing it. You can create a customized user group for testers in your template and set transition rules for the group. After applying the template customization to the linked projects, all testers can be assigned to this group.

  • Enable consistent reporting by managers.

    Managers in all divisions of your organization are required to report on a standard set of measures, such as defect status or priority, or coverage status of requirements. As template administrator, you can customize project lists and fields, and set required fields in a template. Applying the template customization to the linked projects provides users with a common set of fields and values for consistent reporting.

  • Create unique policies for separate sectors of an organization.

    Your organization has acquired a new company. The new company has a standard policy for working with defects, which is different from how your organization currently operates. Both sectors want to maintain their current policies. You can customize a template for each sector of your organization, and link each to the relevant projects for its sector.

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