Handling Deleted Items in DOORS and ReqIF Exports

Overview

This article explains how deleted items in DOORS are handled, how they appear in ReqIF exports, and best practices for managing them in Data Exchange (DX) and Jama Connect.

1. Soft vs. Hard Deletion in DOORS

✔ DOORS uses a two-stage deletion process:

• Stage 1 (Soft Delete):

  • Objects are marked as Deleted and automatically filtered out of default views.

  • They remain part of the project and can be viewed if the "Show deletions" option is enabled.

  • Deleted objects still retain traceability and can be included in a ReqIF export.

• Stage 2 (Purge):

  • Purged objects are permanently removed from DOORS.

  • No traceability or recovery is possible after purging.

✔ Impact on ReqIF Export:

• Soft-deleted items are exported with the ReqIF.ForeignDeleted = True attribute.

• Purged items are not included in the ReqIF file.

2. Handling Deleted Objects in ReqIF Exports

✔ If exported, deleted items retain the "ReqIF.ForeignDeleted = True" flag.
✔ Some tools (e.g., Codebeamer) allow dynamic handling of soft deletions.
✔ Other tools (e.g., DX and JCI) do not have built-in special handling for ReqIF.ForeignDeleted but allow mapping it to a Jama attribute.

✔ Best Practices for DX and Jama Connect:

• Import deleted items into Jama with a "Deleted" status instead of removing them.

• Use a Boolean "isDeleted" attribute to filter deleted items from active views.

• For complete removal, purge deleted items from DOORS before exporting to ReqIF.

3. Best Practices for Managing Deleted Items

✅ Do not delete items outright in Jama Connect, as DX does not sync deletions.
✅ Use an "isDeleted" attribute to track and filter removed items in Jama.
✅ Enable the "Show deletions" option in DOORS if traceability of deleted items is needed.
✅ If traceability is not required, purge deleted items in DOORS before ReqIF export.

4. Traceability & Restoration Considerations

• Soft-deleted items maintain links to related objects, which may require review before purging.

• If traceability is critical, deleted items should be included in the export.

• Leidos specifically requested deleted items to be included, demonstrating a real-world use case.

5. Tool-Specific Handling of Deleted Items

✔ Codebeamer: Allows deleted objects to move in and out of trash dynamically.
✔ DX and JCI: Do not handle ReqIF.ForeignDeleted but can map it to a Jama attribute for filtering.

6. Conclusion

• DOORS handles deletions in two stages: soft delete (hidden but traceable) and purge (permanent removal).

• Soft-deleted items can be included in ReqIF exports, while purged items are completely removed.

• DX and Jama Connect do not support automatic deletion but can map deleted items to an attribute for filtering.

• Organizations should decide whether to retain traceability or fully purge items before exporting.