Requirements in PractiTest define what needs to be built or validated — both functional requirements and non-functional attributes such as scalability, reliability, and portability.
This article explains how to create, import, and manage requirements in PractiTest — and link them to tests and issues for full traceability.
4. Importing and Syncing Requirements from Jira, Azure DevOps, ClickUp
5. Creating Custom Requirement Layout (Admins only)
1. Overview
Requirements in PractiTest define what needs to be built or validated. They serve as the starting point of your QA process — once defined, you link them to tests and issues to create a complete, traceable picture of your product’s quality.
The Requirements module can also integrate with external tools where your team already manages requirements, such as Jira, Azure DevOps and more.
Each requirement automatically tracks its own coverage status based on the run results of linked tests, giving your team real-time visibility into what’s tested, what’s passing, and what’s at risk.
💡 New here? Before creating requirements, make sure your project is set up with the custom fields your team needs. See Getting Started for Admins or Getting Started for Testers →
2. Creating a Requirement
Requirements module → New Requirement → fill in the fields → link tests or issues if needed → Create or Create & Close.
💡 If you have a Jira or Azure DevOps integration set up, a dropdown will appear when clicking New Requirement — allowing you to create a new requirement or import one from your integration.
3. Importing Requirements
3.1 How to access
Project Settings → Import & Export tab → Import Requirements.
Upload an XLSX or CSV file from your computer, or open a Google Sheet from your Drive.
3.2 What you can import
In a single operation, you can bring in:
- Requirement fields (system and custom fields)
- Linked tests
- Linked issues
- Author information
Each imported requirement automatically receives a unique Requirement ID in PractiTest.
3.3 Mapping your fields
For each PractiTest field — including custom fields — specify the corresponding column in your file. Pay close attention to:
- User fields can contain the email addresses or the EXACT Display name of the desired user. The user needs to belong to the project.
- Mandatory fields — marked with an asterisk (*). All mandatory fields must be mapped or the import will fail.
- Linked Tests and Linked Issues — to import traceability, add the linked test IDs or issue IDs separated by commas in a mapped column.
3.4 Extra options
Before running the import, scroll to Extra Options to:
- Check “Ignore first row” if your file’s first row contains column headers
- Enable or disable email notifications to users for the imported entities
💡 If the Author column is left empty, the importing user will be set as the author of all imported requirements.
4. Importing and Syncing Requirements from Jira, Azure DevOps, ClickUp
If you have a Jira, Azure DevOps, or ClickUp integration set up, you can import work items directly into PractiTest as requirements — and keep them automatically synced.
In the Requirements module, click the dropdown arrow next to New Requirement → Import a new Requirement → enter one or more ticket IDs separated by commas.
💡 The following options are available for Jira integrations only:
- By Jira filter (one-time) — Import all issues in a selected filter as requirements. New issues added to the filter after import will not be synced automatically.
- By Jira filter (continuous sync) — Set up auto-sync in Project Settings → Integrations → Auto-sync Filters. PractiTest will sync filter changes every 4 hours.
Jira users can also enable Sprint Sync to automatically import active and future sprints as PractiTest Milestones along with all related work items (requirements and issues). To learn more about Jira Sprint Sync →
For full setup and configuration, see Jira Cloud Integration →, Jira Server and Data Center integration →, Azure DevOps integration →, ClickUp integration →
5. Creating Custom Requirement Layout (Admins only)
All requirements have a standard form layout with the title, description, attachments, and comments on the left side and all system and custom fields on the right side. However, you can create custom sections to group fields (e.g., Business Impact).
Open any requirement → Configure → Edit Form Layout.
From here you can:
- Create, remove, or rename sections to organize fields by category (e.g., Business Impact).
- Control which fields appear in each section and where they are displayed on the screen.
- Reorder, show, or hide fields to match your team’s workflow.
Click Save to apply. Layout changes apply to all requirements and all users in the project.
6. Traceability and Coverage
Each requirement has a Traceability tab where you can link tests, test sets, and issues. PractiTest automatically calculates the requirement’s coverage status based on the run results of linked tests — giving your team real-time visibility into what’s tested, what’s passing, and what’s at risk.
6.1 Linking Issues
Open any requirement → Go to Traceability tab → Add Issues → select the issues from the popup window.
6.2 Linking Tests, Test Sets & Coverage Scope
You can define whether coverage is calculated based on individual Tests (default) or Test Sets:
- Link by Tests — coverage reflects the latest run result of each linked test, across any Test Set
- Link by Test Sets — coverage reflects only the results of tests within specific Test Sets (up to 10 per requirement)
When Test Sets are linked, the Traceability tab displays each Test Set’s ID, name, and status bar. Below each test set, you’ll also see its individual test instances including instance name, ID, last run date, and run status.
⚠️ Any new test instances added to a linked test set after linking will automatically be included in the requirement’s status calculation.
6.3 Linking Existing Tests & Test Sets to Requirements
Once a linkage type (Test or Test Set) is selected, you can link existing tests or test sets using any of the following methods:
- By ID: Type or paste the ID(s) of the entities → Click Add
- From List — Open a modal window by clicking “Show List” and select entities from a filtered list.
⚠️ You can only select one linkage type per requirement. Switching after linking entities will unlink all previously linked entities.
💡 When creating a new requirement, the default linkage type is Tests. The requirement’s status will remain “Not Covered” until at least one test or test set is linked.
6.4 Generating New Tests from a Requirement
You can create new tests directly from within a requirement — keeping traceability intact from the start.
From the Traceability tab → click Generate → choose one of:
- Generate New Test — creates a blank test, adds it to your Test Library, and links it to the requirement automatically
- Generate New Test with Steps — uses the SmartFox AI Assistant to generate a fully detailed test with steps based on the requirement’s title and description
⚠️ Generate New Test with Steps requires SmartFox to be enabled by your account owner. Learn more about SmartFox AI Assistant →
6.5 Creating a Test Set from Requirements
You can create a Test Set directly from the Requirements grid, pre-populated with the tests linked to your selected requirements — useful for quickly spinning up a testing cycle based on specific requirements.
Requirements grid → select one or more requirements → three-dot menu → New Test Set → Save.
The Test Set will be created with test instances based on the tests linked to the selected requirements.
6.6 Coverage Statuses
Coverage status is calculated based on the tests or Test Sets linked to the requirement. See all statuses and their meaning below:
| Status | Meaning |
| Not Covered | No tests linked |
| No Run | Tests linked but none have run |
| Started | At least one test started — none failed or blocked |
| Passed | All linked tests ran and passed |
| Blocked | At least one test blocked — none failed |
| Failed | At least one test failed |
| N/A | All linked tests marked N/A |
6.7 Coverage in Jira and Azure DevOps
If you have a Jira or Azure DevOps integration set up, the PractiTest panel inside those platforms displays the requirement’s coverage scope and live status — keeping your developers informed without switching tools.
For integration setup, see Jira Integration or Jira Server and Data Center integration → or Azure DevOps Integration →
7. Managing Requirements
7.1 Requirement Status Bar
The status bar inside each requirement visually displays the statuses of all linked tests — each status represented by a proportional color segment. For example, if a requirement has three tests with statuses Failed and Passed, and Not Completed, the bar displays three equal segments in the corresponding colors.
💡 You can also add the Requirement Status Bar to the main Requirements grid by clicking the three-dot menu next to All Requirements and selecting the appropriate option.
7.2 Organizing Requirements with Custom Fields and Filters
PractiTest lets you organize and filter requirements dynamically using custom fields — by release, sprint, business impact, priority, or any other attribute your team has defined. To set up custom fields and build filters for your requirements, see Custom Fields → and Hierarchical Filter Trees →
7.3 Grid Filters
Filter and sort requirements directly from the grid using the available columns. Applied fast filters appear at the top of the bar.
- Click a column filter icon to filter by that field
- Click a column name to sort
- Filter any list-type field by No Value to find requirements where a field is undefined
- Click Clear All at the top-right corner of the grid to reset all filters and sorting
To adjust the columns in your main Requirements view: three-dot menu next to All Requirements → Edit.
To save a fast filter: apply your filters → click Save as a Filter. If you’re under an existing filter, the new filter will be created as a child filter combining both sets of criteria.
⚠️ Save as Filter is not available when working within an existing auto filter.
For a full guide on filters, see Hierarchical Filter Trees →
7.4 Batch Edit
Select requirements using the checkboxes → click Batch Edit at the top of the grid → choose the fields to update and enter new values. You can add a comment and enable or disable email notifications.
7.5 Find & Replace
Select requirements → three-dot menu → Find & Replace.
Choose which fields to apply the replacement to — all fields or specific ones such as title or description. Then enter the phrase to find in the Find field and the replacement value in the Replace with field.
⚠️ Find & Replace is case-sensitive.
A confirmation message shows how many requirements will be affected before you confirm. For example, if you selected 10 requirements but the phrase appears in only 4, you will see 4 entities to be changed.
7.6 Requirement Parent Field
PractiTest lets you create a hierarchy between requirements using the Parent field — useful for modeling relationships between functional and non-functional aspects of your system.
To enable the Parent field: Project Settings → Fields → System Fields → click Parent → check Requirement → Save.
Once enabled, the Parent field appears inside each requirement. You can then set another requirement as its parent.
Requirement Children
When the Parent field is enabled, a Requirement Children section appears in the Traceability tab of each requirement, listing all requirements that define it as their parent — including name, ID, and author.
8. Followers
By following a requirement, you’ll be notified of important changes — such as description edits, status changes, or linked item updates — without needing to be assigned to it.
The Followers icon sits in the top-right corner of the requirement, next to the requirement name. The number shows the current follower count. Click it to open the follower list — your name appears at the top, and you can toggle your own follower status, or add other users by typing and selecting their names.
