Process Rules

Each project has the option of enforcing the use of process items by specifying certain process rules. When enforced, the process rules require you to specify a specific process item (change request, requirement, or task) for file add or check-in operations within the project.

Process Rules Review

If process rules are not enforced, any change request, requirement, or task can be used as a process item, regardless of its status. However, if process rules are enforced, you may be able to select only one type of item as a process item. In addition, acceptable process items may be limited to those with specific statuses.

You can determine whether process rules are in effect for a specific project, and what those rules are, by reviewing project properties. If you do not have the access rights necessary to do this, ask your administrator what process items apply to the project and what restrictions have been placed on them.

To set process rules, you must have the access rights required to change project properties. As a rule, only team leaders and administrators have these rights. To use process items, project users must have the necessary access rights, which are the rights to:

See and modify the types of items used as process items in the project view.
Create and modify traces.
View and create change packages.

Advantages of Process Rules

Establishing a system of process rules allows you to:

Require that process items be used every time files are added or checked into the project.
Stipulate that only certain types of items with specific statuses can be used as process items in the project.

If process rules are not enforced, linking and pinning to a process item during file add and check-in is optional, and you can select any change request, requirement, or task as a process item, regardless of its status.

Note: As a convenience, you can select a change request, requirement, task, or other custom component that has been established as a valid process item type, as the Active Process Item prior to adding or checking in files so the check-in automatically use that process item during check-in.