Requirements Management - Import Baseline Snapshot Data



Welcome back to another hands-on demo of OpenRose, a FREE and Open-Source requirements management application that’s helping teams structure, trace, and manage their requirements with precision and flexibility.

In this article, we’ll explore one of OpenRose’s most powerful features: importing baseline data. Using a real-world example from a Charity Fundraising project, we’ll walk through how to export and import baseline records, item types, and individual requirements—while preserving hierarchy, traceability, and scope control.

Understanding Baselines in OpenRose

Baselines in OpenRose are snapshots of your requirements at a specific point in time. They’re immutable by design, except for the ability to include or exclude specific requirements from the baseline scope.

When exporting baseline data, you’re not simply backing up a frozen view—you’re preparing it for re-import into a live project, where it can be reused, reorganized, or archived.

Depending on what you export, OpenRose intelligently maps the data during import:

  • Entire Baseline → Imported as a new Project
  • Baseline Item Type → Imported into an existing Project as a new Item Type
  • Baseline Item (Requirement) → Imported under an existing Item Type or Requirement

Exporting and Importing: Charity Fundraising in Action

Let’s walk through a practical example using our Charity Fundraising project.

1. Exporting the Entire Baseline

We start by exporting the full baseline snapshot of the Charity Fundraising project. This includes all requirements and their breakdown structure.

  • Option to include or exclude requirements marked for exclusion
  • Exported file contains structured JSON with metadata and traceability

When importing this file:

  • If we choose to include all data, even excluded requirements are restored
  • If we choose to include only included requirements, excluded items and their traceability links are ignored

Example:

In the demo, we show one example in which

  • Importing all data → 29 records + 3 traceability links
  • Importing only included data → 19 records + 1 traceability link

2. Importing a Baseline Item Type

Next, we export a Baseline Item Type called Post Fundraising Activities. This includes a subset of requirements.

During import, we place it between two existing item types in our demo project—right between Parking Lot and Import Data.

  • OpenRose allows precise placement using item type IDs
  • Excluded requirements are ignored unless explicitly included

Example:

In the demo, we show one example in which

  • Importing only included items → 6 records
  • Importing all items → 16 records + 1 traceability link

3. Importing a Baseline Item (Requirement)

Finally, we export a single requirement and its breakdown structure from the baseline. Even though all items are marked for exclusion, we override the filter to include everything.

We import this under an existing item type called Import Data.

  • Placement at the bottom of the child list
  • Traceability links are preserved if both ends are present

Example:

In the demo, we show one example in which

  • 10 requirements imported
  • 1 traceability link restored between Plan Video Content and Publish and Promote Video Content

Tips and Takeaways

  • Inclusion/Exclusion Control: You can fine-tune what gets exported and imported using checkboxes and filters.
  • Traceability Integrity: Links are only restored if both requirements are present in the import scope.
  • Flexible Placement: Import under a project, item type, or between existing records.
  • Use Cases:
    • Archiving excluded requirements in a separate project
    • Reusing baseline data for new initiatives
    • Collaborating across teams with scoped imports
    • Sharing of data between projects and teams
    • Getting we structured and well defined requirements produced via consulting company
    • Exporting data in JSON format and importing it into AI engine for context setting.

Why It Matters

This feature empowers teams to:

  • Descope requirements without losing them
  • Reuse structured data across projects
  • Maintain traceability even when reorganizing
  • Collaborate seamlessly across repositories

Whether you're working on a charity event, a product launch, or a compliance audit, OpenRose gives you the tools to manage requirements with clarity and control.

Final Thoughts

OpenRose continues to evolve with user-friendly features that rival enterprise-grade tools—without the cost. The ability to export and import baseline data with such granularity makes it a standout choice for teams who value transparency, traceability, and flexibility.

If you found this guide helpful, share it with your team and others as appropriate.

Let OpenRose be your partner in building better projects—one requirement at a time.

 OpenRose, a free and open-source requirements management application / tool. For more information, visit 

https://github.com/openrose



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