Understanding Negative "Failed" Column in ReqIF Imports from DNG

Overview

This article explains why users may encounter a negative count in the "Failed" column when importing ReqIF files from DOORS Next Generation (DNG) into Jama Connect via DX. It also provides troubleshooting steps and best practices to resolve unexpected item creation issues.

1. Why Does the "Failed" Column Show a Negative Value?

✔ The "Failed" column is calculated as:

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Items Detected - Items Created

✔ A negative value means more items were created than detected in the original ReqIF.

2. Common Causes & Solutions

A. "Recreate DOORS Hierarchy" Feature Creating Extra Items

✔ Cause: When enabled, this setting reconstructs the DOORS hierarchy, which may result in additional set structures being created.
✔ Solution: Disable this setting in DX Settings → Import Options and retry the import.

B. Text Blocks and Attachments Being Treated as Extra Items

✔ Cause:

• DNG sometimes includes text objects and attachments in a non-standard way that does not strictly follow the ReqIF specification.

• This results in additional text-based objects or placeholders appearing in Jama Connect.

✔ Solution:

• Inspect the imported structure for unexpected "text sets" or broken image links.

• Use a preprocessor script or manually clean the ReqIF file to filter out unnecessary text objects before import.

C. Missing or Broken Attachments

✔ Cause: Attachments in DNG are often linked rather than embedded, leading to missing images or document references when imported into Jama Connect.
✔ Solution:

• Verify that attachments are correctly referenced and included in the import.

• If attachments appear as broken links, check the source ReqIF file to confirm how DNG handled them.

3. Best Practices to Avoid Negative Failed Column Counts

✅ Disable "Recreate DOORS Hierarchy" if unnecessary to prevent extra structures from being generated.
✅ Manually inspect ReqIF files before importing to identify unexpected items.
✅ Ensure attachment links are correctly mapped or consider embedding them in the ReqIF file.
✅ Document import settings used to track changes that may impact item creation.

4. Conclusion

A negative Failed count in DX imports from DNG usually indicates:

• Extra items created due to DOORS hierarchy reconstruction.

• Non-standard text or attachments being treated as new objects.

• Attachment handling issues leading to missing references.

By adjusting DX import settings, inspecting ReqIF structures, and ensuring proper attachment handling, users can prevent unintended item creation and maintain an accurate data structure.