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Quick Diagnostic Decision Tree

PowerSheet fails to load or displays incorrectly
│
├─ Blank grid / "No data" message
│  └─ Check: RTM query returns zero results → Step 1
│
├─ Columns missing or wrong headers
│  └─ Check: YAML syntax or field binding → Step 2
│
├─ RTM expansion shows no linked items
│  └─ Check: Link role configuration → Step 3
│
├─ JavaScript errors in console
│  └─ Check: Custom renderers or formatters → Step 4
│
├─ Performance issues (slow loading)
│  └─ Check: Query scope and dataset size → Step 5
│
└─ Permission denied or "Access restricted"
   └─ Check: Work item permissions → Step 6

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Step 1: Verify RTM Query Returns Data

PowerSheet YAML configurations define a source query that fetches the root entity set. If this query returns zero work items, the PowerSheet displays an empty grid. Check the query definition: 
source:
  query: |
    type:SystemRequirement AND project.id:${projectId}
  orderBy: objectId
  orderDirection: ASC
Common query issues:
ProblemSymptomFix
Wrong entity type”No data” messageVerify type: matches RTM model entity name exactly (case-sensitive)
Document scope constraint missingShows items from all documentsAdd module.moduleFolder:${moduleFolder} for document-embedded sheets
Project ID mismatchEmpty grid in cross-project contextCheck ${projectId} resolves correctly; test query in Polarion Work Items search
No work items existLegitimately emptyCreate sample work items of the specified type to test configuration
Copy the Lucene query from the YAML (replace ${projectId} with your actual project ID) and paste into Work Items → Search to verify the query returns results. If the search fails, the PowerSheet will also fail.
Verification: After fixing the query, refresh the PowerSheet page. You should see at least one row per root entity returned by the query.

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Step 2: Fix Column Binding and YAML Syntax Errors

PowerSheet columns bind to Polarion custom fields or standard properties. Incorrect field IDs, typos, or YAML indentation errors cause columns to disappear or display as blank. Check column configuration syntax: 
columnGroups:
  - name: System Requirements
    color: darkgreen
    columns:
      - id: objectId
        label: ID
        width: 100
      - id: title
        label: Title
        width: 300
        format: boldTitle
        hasFocus: true
      - id: designReqSubtype  # Custom field ID
        label: SC/CC
        width: 80
        renderer: scCcRenderer
Common column errors:
  • Field ID mismatch: Custom field designReqSubtype must exist in .polarion/documents/fields/custom-fields.xml
  • Typo in standard property: Use objectId, title, description, status (exact casing)
  • Missing renderer definition: If renderer: scCcRenderer is specified, the JavaScript function must be defined in the PowerSheet YAML or globally
  • YAML indentation: Ensure columns: is indented under columnGroups: and each column is a list item (-)
PowerSheet does not show error messages for invalid field IDs—it silently skips the column. Use Polarion’s Data Model → Custom Fields to verify field IDs match exactly.
Verification: Save the YAML, refresh the PowerSheet, and confirm all expected column headers appear. Hover over cells to check for field binding errors (blank cells may indicate missing data or incorrect field ID).

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Step 3: Troubleshoot RTM Expansion for Linked Entities

PowerSheet’s RTM expansion feature displays related work items by traversing link roles. If expanded columns show no data despite links existing, the expansion path is misconfigured. Check RTM expansion syntax: 
expand:
  - linkRole: verifiedBy
    entity: testCase
    columns:
      - id: testCase.objectId
        label: Test ID
        width: 100
      - id: testCase.title
        label: Test Title
        width: 250
Common expansion errors:
IssueSymptomSolution
Wrong link role nameExpanded section blankVerify link role in .polarion/nextedy/models/*.yaml RTM model
Entity name mismatchNo data in expanded columnsEnsure entity: matches RTM model entity type (e.g., testCase not TestCase)
Incorrect column ID prefixColumn displays “undefined”Prefix expanded fields with entity name: testCase.title not title
Link direction reversedShows nothingCheck if link role is outgoing (correct) or incoming (use opposite role)
Visual diagnostic pattern: Root Entity (SystemRequirement) ↓ (outgoing link: verifiedBy) Linked Entity (VerificationTestCase) YAML: linkRole must match the OUTGOING direction from root to linked entity
Open a root entity work item in Polarion, check the Links tab, and verify the link role name matches the YAML exactly. If links exist but don’t appear in PowerSheet, the linkRole: or entity: name is wrong.
Verification: After correcting the expansion path, refresh the PowerSheet. Rows with linked work items should now display expanded columns populated with data from the related entities.

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Step 4: Debug Custom Renderers and Formatters

PowerSheet supports JavaScript renderer and format functions for custom cell styling (e.g., SC/CC badges, Action Priority color-coding). Errors in these functions break column rendering. Check renderer definitions: 
columns:
  - id: scCcClassification
    label: SC/CC
    renderer: scCcRenderer

# Renderer defined in same YAML:
renderers:
  scCcRenderer: |
    function(value) {
      if (value === 'SC') return '<span style="background:orange;padding:2px 6px;border-radius:3px;">SC</span>';
      if (value === 'CC') return '<span style="background:red;color:white;padding:2px 6px;border-radius:3px;">CC</span>';
      return value;
    }
Common renderer errors:
  • Undefined renderer: Column specifies renderer: myRenderer but no renderers: section exists
  • JavaScript syntax error: Missing semicolons, unmatched quotes, or parentheses break the function
  • Null value handling: Renderer doesn’t handle null or undefined values, causing exceptions
  • Return type mismatch: Renderer must return HTML string or plain text, not objects
Open Browser DevTools → Console (F12) and refresh the PowerSheet. JavaScript errors in renderers appear as red stack traces referencing the PowerSheet YAML. Fix syntax errors before saving.
Verification: Refresh the PowerSheet. Cells in the custom-rendered column should display styled content (badges, color-coded text). If cells are blank or show raw field values, the renderer failed to execute.

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Step 5: Optimize Query Scope for Large Datasets

PowerSheets with unbounded RTM queries (e.g., all requirements across all projects) can time out or freeze the browser when loading 500+ work items or deep expansion hierarchies. Add query constraints: 
source:
  query: |
    type:SystemRequirement 
    AND project.id:${projectId}
    AND module.moduleFolder:${moduleFolder}  # Scope to current document
  limit: 200  # Cap result set to first 200 items
Performance optimization checklist:
  • Document scoping: Add module.moduleFolder:${moduleFolder} for document-embedded PowerSheets
  • Limit expansion depth: Avoid multi-level RTM expansions (e.g., Requirement → Test → Defect → Comment)
  • Use views to hide columns: Define named views that show only essential columns for different workflows
  • Add query filters: Use AND status:(active OR review) to exclude obsolete/deprecated work items
Define a “Summary” view with 3-5 key columns, then add detailed views (e.g., “With Verification”, “Full Details”) that users activate on-demand. This reduces initial load time significantly.
Verification: After adding constraints, the PowerSheet should load in under 5 seconds for typical datasets (50-200 work items). If still slow, check for:
  • RTM expansions creating Cartesian products (1 requirement × 10 tests × 5 defects = 50 rows per requirement)
  • Custom renderers making external API calls (avoid fetch/AJAX in renderers)
  • Large rich-text description fields (use limit on description column width)

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Step 6: Verify Work Item Permissions

PowerSheet queries respect Polarion’s work item permissions. If users lack read access to the queried work item types or linked entities, the PowerSheet displays “Access denied” or omits restricted rows. Check user permissions:
  1. Navigate to Administration → Users and Groups → Permissions
  2. Verify the user role has Read permission for:
    • Root entity type (e.g., SystemRequirement)
    • Expanded entity types (e.g., VerificationTestCase)
    • Custom fields used in columns (some orgs restrict field-level access)
  3. Test with an admin account to rule out permission issues
Common permission patterns:
ScenarioSymptomFix
External reviewer rolePowerSheet loads but shows 0 rowsGrant “Work Items - Read” permission for the relevant project
Field-level restrictionsSome columns blank, others populatedCheck custom field permissions in field definition XML
Cross-project RTMExpanded links emptyUser needs read access to the linked project, not just source project
Some Polarion workflows hide work items in certain states (e.g., “draft” only visible to author). If PowerSheet shows inconsistent row counts, check workflow visibility rules in .polarion/documents/workflow/*.xml.
Verification: Log in as a user with full admin permissions. If the PowerSheet now displays data correctly, the issue is permission-based—grant the necessary read permissions to affected user roles.

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Final Verification

After applying fixes, confirm the PowerSheet works correctly: ✅ Grid loads with expected rows (matching source query result count)
✅ All column headers appear with correct labels and widths
✅ RTM expanded sections show linked data (if applicable)
✅ Custom renderers display styled cells (SC/CC badges, color-coding)
✅ No JavaScript errors in browser console (F12 → Console tab)
✅ Performance acceptable (loads in <5s for typical datasets)

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See Also