HP ALM

BEST PRACTICES

Table of Contents

Preface..........................................................................................................................3
Introduction...................................................................................................................3
The Application Lifecycle Management........................................................................3
Management.................................................................................................................4
Releases.......................................................................................................................4
Cycles...........................................................................................................................5
Requirement.................................................................................................................5
Test Plan.......................................................................................................................6
Guidelines to export Excel data to HP ALM..............................................................7
Test lab........................................................................................................................12
Defects........................................................................................................................12
Test Run......................................................................................................................14
Report generation.......................................................................................................14

Preface
Introduction
This document is a generic for use by projects in TCoE. It provides guidance and
template material which is intended to assist the relevant team in using ALM
effectively for project management and execution. It is also useful for anyone
involved in planning or monitoring of project activities.
The Application Lifecycle Management
Process
The application lifecycle management process with ALM includes the
following phases:
Phase Description

Management
This area helps us to create and manage releases and cycles and also to
helps us make project planning and tracking. Management tab helps us to
work with the following areas in ALM:s

1. Test Cycle: For any Release create Test Cycle under Release folder
Test Cycle_1.0
2. Name Release Name_Test Cycle Name_1.0
3. Start Date This field is necessary to track when a particular test
cycle started
4. End Date - This field is necessary to track when a particular test
cycle end

Releases
All the work item such as libraries, test execution and defects are tracked
based on the release.

Naming convention for Release Folder Name: ReleaseFolderName.

Start_Date: This field is necessary to track when a particular release
starts.
End_Date: This field is necessary to track when a particular release
ends.
Naming convention for Release Name: ReleaseName_ID
Release Id: Release id will automatically generated.

Cycles
Each release is further divided into cycles

Cycle Name: Cycle_Id_Release_Id_Cycle_Name.

Release_End_Date: Auto_Populated.
Start_Date: This field is necessary to track when a particular cycle
starts
End_Date: This field is necessary to track when a particular cycle
ends.

Requirement
The Requirements module enables users to define, manage and track
requirements at all stages of the software lifecycle.

Naming convention for Requirement Folder Name:

Requirement_Name
Naming convention for Requirement Name : Requirement_Name_ID
(Must be Unique)
Requirement Type : Based on requirement type user need to select
Functional/ Business /Folder / Group/ Testing/ Performance
Author : Select from drop down.
Creation Date : This field is necessary to enter creation date of
requirement.
Priority : User can select Priority from P1 to P5.
Reviewed : User can select any values Reviewed/Not Reviewed.

Target Cycle : This field is necessary to mapped Target Cycle.

Target Release : This field is necessary to track Target Release date.
Description : Description about the Requirement.
Comments - Comments should be added under comments section if
necessary.
Attachments : If any attachment needs to be added.

Test Plan
Parent Folder name - 10_Folder_name
o Example: 10_Project_name, 20_Project_name
Sub folder name - 01_Subfolder_name
o Example: 01_system, 02_regression
Scenario folder name - 01_Scenario_name
o Example: 01_rebate, 02_cashback
Test case name TC01_scenarioname_positive
o Example: TC01_Check rebate for the month of july_positive
o TC02_Check rebate for the month of july_negative

Description Test case description should be added under

description section mandatorily

Comments - Comments should be added under comments section if

necessary

Status - Ready for review, Ready for execution

Pre-requisites/ preconditions - If necessary should be added (This

can be added as a step in test case itself to avoid overlooking of
precondition during test execution)

Designer - Designer of the test case name should be added under

Designer section

Guidelines to export Excel data to HP ALM

To export data to ALM:
1. Define the tests in worksheet.
Add a Path column to the Excel worksheet.
In the Path column, type the path under which the
requirement is created. Separate each hierarchical level with a
backslash (\) character.
Make sure not to use a forward slash.
Subject (mandatory field)
Test Case Name (mandatory field)
Description

Comment
Prerequisites
Step Name (Design Steps)
Description (Design Steps)
Expected (Design Steps)

2. Select the cells that contain the data that one want to export. Do
not include the column headings row in selection.
3. In Excel, open the HP ALM Export wizard. Click the Add-ins tab and
click the Export to HP ALM button.
The HP ALM Export Wizard - Step 1 of 8 dialog box opens.

Type ALM Platform server and the virtual directory name

(http://<ALM Platform server name>[:<port number>]/qcbin).
For example, https://qc.allianz.de.awin/qcbin.
4. Click Next button. The HP ALM Export Wizard - Step 2 of 8 dialog box
opens.

Type user name and password.

5. Click Next button. The HP ALM Export Wizard - Step 3 of 8 dialog box
opens.

Select a domain and project name.

6. Click Next button. The HP ALM Export Wizard - Step 4 of 8 dialog box
opens.

Select a data type.

7. Click Next button. The HP ALM Export Wizard - Step 5 of 8 dialog box
opens.

To specify a map option for mapping ALM fields to Microsoft Excel

columns, select one of the following:

Select a map. Select an existing map that is created on the same

machine. If this option is unavailable upgraded to a new version of
Microsoft Excel, One may need to perform an additional step.

Type a new map name. Create a new map. This map is saved for
reuse on the same machine.

Create a temporary map. Create a temporary map that will not be

saved.

8. Click Next. button The HP ALM Export Wizard - Step 6 of 8 dialog box
opens.

The left pane displays all the available ALM fields for the data type that
one has selected in Step 4 of the Export Wizard. Required fields are
displayed in red. The right pane displays the mappings of ALM fields to
columns in excel worksheet. To change the mapping, click Back button.
9. Click Export button. The HP ALM Export Wizard - Step 6 of 8 dialog
box opens.
10.
If an error occurs while exporting the worksheet, the HP ALM
Export Wizard - Scan Error Report dialog box opens. Review the
errors. To save the errors as a text file, click the Launch Notepad
button. The row numbers in the error report refer to the rows that is
selected, and do not correspond to the worksheet row numbers.
For example, Row 1 indicates the first row one has selected. Click Close
button to exit the wizard. Correct the errors and start again at step 1
11.
If one successfully exports worksheet to ALM, the HP ALM
Export
Wizard - Step 8 of 8 dialog box opens. Click Finish button.
12.
Refresh the view in ALM. Review the exported data and make
the necessary additions and adjustments.
Suggestions:

Tip: Before one begins the export process, one need to ensure that the
column names and letters remain visible. One can either reduce the zoom
level of the worksheet so that all the columns are visible, or copy the
column names and letters to a separate application.
Test lab
Naming convention for release folder - Rel-Name of release 1.x.x
Naming convention for execution cycle
o System testing 10_FeatureName, 20_FeatureName
o Regression testing 10_Regression_cycle1,
20_Regression_cycle2

Responsible tester - Update responsible tester name

Status Pass, Fail(link defect id), NA(update comments),
Blocked(Update comment), Not Completed(Update comments)
o Take screen shot where ever applicable in the step
o Add all the required proofs. Highlight any required area in
screen shot

Actual add comments for actuals

Expected add comments for expected
Attachments attachments if required should be added

Defects
The Summary of Defect should be precise,unique and should
convey the defect baseline.
Defect description should include complete and comprehensive
information about defect.
Screen shots should be attached to defect.
Defect should be correctly linked to the test step at which it is
encountered,so that the defect fixer can go back to test set and
review steps and duplicate the actual result.
In case the defect is to be fixed in the next cycle as per Test
plan,the Target Release should be assigned to new one and
Target Cycle should be assigned to next Cycle.
In case the Defect is related to another Defect already logged into
the system,create Defect link between the two.
Before closing a Defect,a tester should go to linked entities and
make sure all test instances associated with Defect have passed.In
case any tests are in Failed status,then the Defect should not be
closed.
Entering comments by team members at time of changing any
Defect field is a good practice.

Defect Analysis
The intent of defect analysis is to identify causes of defects so they can
be prevented or detected earlier.The goal of defect analysis is to plan
defect prevention activities,common causes of defects are identified and
mitigated.Most organizations with well-defined processes can benefit from
some application of defect analysis. Maximum benefit obtained from,

Institutionalize standard templates various defect metrics which are

tracked,reported and analysed to various stakeholders.
Establish a process where in development team specifies procedure
of verifications of all fixed defects.
Maintain an updated list of various defects logged against product
till date,which testers can refer to as and when they encounter a
defect.
Pursuing a strategy derived from an objective understanding of
improvement opportunities

Test Run
When click respective run id link . On test run details section screen
includes
Test Set Name : Auto populated module name from Test Lab section
for running test case.
Test Cases Name/Test Instance: Auto populated This consist unique
test case name.
Test case run Id : This is auto generated unique test cases run id.
Run Type: actual test case execution type Manual/Automation
Run Name : <Run Name>_Test case Unique id
Test case status: Passed/Failed/Blocked/No Run
Tester Name : automatically populated test cases executed tester
name
Report generation
ALM/ Quality Center offers four tools for reporting purposes,
Dashboard module
For creating textual reports or graphs based on field values
With Graph Wizard one can create an own graph
Document Generator
For generating project level Word documents one can get all project
data into a single document.
Analysis menu in each module
Standard Reports and Graphs that can be customized and saved to
Dashboard module for future use
Live Analysis in Test Plan and Test Lab

Two configurable graphs side by side showing statistics of the

selected folder

Live Analysis in Test Plan and Test Lab

Two configurable graphs side by side showing statistics of the
selected folder
Type of Reports

Test Execution Status Complexity

Test Execution Status Daywise

Defect Status

Plan Vs Scheduled

Test Completion