Options for Exporting a Trace Matrix from a Baseline

Author: Jakob Khazanovich
Date: October 22, 2025
Audience: Everyone
Environmental Details: Jama Connect® 

Use Case

Exporting a trace matrix from a baseline.

Best Practice

Custom trace matrices can be exported using Velocity reports.

When exporting a trace matrix from a baseline, the items in the baseline and traced items that are not included in the baseline itself can be exported as they were at the time of the baseline.

Example:

• A user baselined a set of System Requirements. 

• A few months later, after having changed the requirements and traced items from those requirements, the user wants to export a trace matrix from the System Requirements as they were at the time of the baseline. 

• This would be possible with a custom Velocity report. The report can accurately pull the relationships as they were at the time of baseline (e.g., user needs > system requirements > sub systems requirements > verification > defects) even though only the System Requirements themselves were baselined.

   

1. The desired test runs are included in the baseline itself 
2. Gather the test runs of the test case from the current project but then filter the runs based on the latest test run created or execution date compared to the baseline created date.

Implementation

When a trace matrix is needed from a baseline:

1. Baseline the source items for the trace.

   1. Source Items are the items that your trace matrix starts from. A trace matrix can start from the top or bottom level and trace in only one direction (e.g., start at User Needs and trace down to Requirements and Test) or it can start in the middle of the trace and trace both up and down (e.g., start at Requirements and trace up to User Needs and down to Test.)

2. Create (out of scope for this article) or request a custom velocity report that specifies the desired trace matrix as it was at the time of baseline.

3. If exporting test runs, either the test runs need to be included in the baseline or the Velocity report definition will need logic to determine if the trace matrix should contain the most recently created or most recently executed test run at the time of the baseline.

   1. Including the test runs in the baseline requires creating a baseline from a filter that includes the test runs.

References

• Request a custom velocity report
• Request custom report training
• Request a Solution Offering or Training from the Success Catalog

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