Assigning Notes to Items - Nextedy Documentation

Prerequisites

A checklist with at least one item already configured on your work item
The checklist must be in an editable state (not read-only or frozen)

Adding a Note to a Checklist Item

Open the work item containing the checklist you want to annotate.
Locate the checklist item that needs additional context.
Click the Reply icon next to the checklist item label.
Type your note text in the field that appears below the item.
Save the work item to persist the note.

Checklist item with a note attached showing additional details

Animated demonstration of adding a note to a checklist item using the Reply icon

Item notes were introduced in Checklist version 1.7.0. Ensure your installation is up to date if you do not see the Reply icon.

Understanding the Item Structure

Each checklist item has a fixed structure. Understanding these fields helps you use notes effectively.

Field	Purpose	Editable by User
`label`	Primary display text for the checklist item	Via template only
`description`	Extended guidance about what the item requires	Via template only
`note`	User-provided comment or context for this specific instance	Yes, via Reply icon
`mandatory`	Whether the item must be checked for workflow gates	Via template only
`result state`	Current state: OK, NOK, N/A, Pending, or Empty	Yes, via checklist UI

The note field is the only user-editable text field on a checklist item instance. The label and description come from the template and cannot be changed on individual work items.

When to Use Notes

Notes are useful in these scenarios:

Audit trail — Record who performed a check and when, or reference related work items.
Exception documentation — Explain why an item was marked N/A or NOK with justification.
Review findings — Attach brief findings or observations next to the relevant checklist item.
Handoff context — Provide additional information for the next person in the workflow.

Each checklist item supports exactly one note field. You cannot add multiple comment areas, combo boxes, or per-comment checkboxes to a single item. If you need separate note areas, consider splitting the checklist item into multiple items in your template, using content separators between entries.

Notes and Read-Only Mode

Notes follow the same editability rules as the rest of the checklist:

If the checklist custom field is marked as read-only (via work item permissions or the Administration Read Only Fields page), notes cannot be added or modified.
If the checklist is frozen by status using nextedy.checklist._TYPEID._FIELDID._STATUS.mergeTemplate=false, existing notes remain visible but new notes cannot be added.
If the work item form extension is not properly configured, the checklist may display in read-only mode even when the field is editable. See Troubleshooting for resolution steps.

When template merging adds new items to a checklist, existing items retain their notes. Notes are stored per-item and are not affected by template updates.

Notes in PDF Export

When a document or work item is exported to PDF, checklist items render as a static HTML table. Notes are included in the PDF output alongside each checklist item, providing a complete record.

The exact rendering of notes in PDF exports may vary depending on your Checklist version and Polarion PDF configuration. Verify the output format in your environment.

Accessing Notes Programmatically

You can read and write notes through the Checklist API in Velocity templates and workflow scripts. Each checklist item exposes a note property:

#set( $cList = $checklistService.parse( $workItem, "dod"))
#foreach($item in $cList.getItems())
  $item.label - Note: $!item.note
#end

The $!item.note syntax (with the ! prefix) safely handles items that have no note set, rendering an empty string instead of the literal variable name.

Verification

You should now see:

A Reply icon next to each checklist item when the checklist is editable
After clicking the Reply icon and entering text, the note appears below the item label
The note persists after saving and reopening the work item
Notes appear in PDF exports alongside their parent checklist items

​Prerequisites

​Adding a Note to a Checklist Item

​Understanding the Item Structure

​When to Use Notes

​Notes and Read-Only Mode

​Notes in PDF Export

​Accessing Notes Programmatically

​Verification

​See Also

Prerequisites

Adding a Note to a Checklist Item

Understanding the Item Structure

When to Use Notes

Notes and Read-Only Mode

Notes in PDF Export

Accessing Notes Programmatically

Verification

See Also