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The Two Scopes

Configuration files — both domain models and sheet configurations — can be stored at two levels in the Polarion repository:
ScopeWhere It LivesVisibilityNaming Convention
GlobalRepository-level (global) configuration directoryAvailable to all projectsDisplayed with (Global) suffix in pickers
Project-specificProject-level configuration directoryAvailable only within that projectDisplayed by filename
diagram

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Why Two Scopes Exist

In enterprise environments, multiple Polarion projects often share the same engineering methodology. A medical device program might have separate projects for hardware, software, and system integration, but all three follow the same traceability model (e.g., UserNeed to SystemRequirement to DesignRequirement). Without a global scope, administrators would need to duplicate identical domain models and sheet configurations in every project. The global scope provides a single source of truth for shared configurations. Individual projects can then:
  • Use global configurations as-is
  • Define project-specific configurations that supplement the global ones
  • Create project-specific configurations that address unique project needs

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Administration Interface

Both global and project-specific configurations are managed through the Polarion administration interface. Powersheet adds administration pages under Administration > Nextedy POWERSHEET, organized into:
  • Data Models — manage domain model YAML files
  • Sheet Configurations — manage sheet configuration YAML files
The administration interface supports three scope levels:
Scope LevelConfiguration Property
ProjectprojectScope = true
Project GroupprojectGroupScope = true
Repository (Global)repositoryScope = true
To manage global configurations, navigate to the Repository administration scope in Polarion (not a specific project). The file manager interface will show files from the global configuration directory.

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How Configuration Files Are Discovered

When a Powersheet document loads, it needs to resolve its sheet configuration and domain model. The configuration discovery process scans both global and project-specific directories for YAML files:
  1. Global configurations are scanned first. Their IDs start with / and their display names include a (Global) suffix.
  2. Project-specific configurations are scanned next. Their IDs use the filename without a path prefix, and their display names use the filename without the file extension suffix.
All discovered configurations are merged into a single list of available options, presented in the sheet configuration picker on each Powersheet document.
Powersheet does not define a default configuration. Users must explicitly select a sheet configuration for each document. If no configuration is selected, the document will not render a Powersheet sheet.

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Domain Models: Global vs Project

Domain models follow the same scoping pattern as sheet configurations. When a sheet configuration references a model by name (via the model property in the sources section), Powersheet resolves the model from both global and project-specific directories. This separation is particularly valuable when:
  • Entity types are consistent across projects but individual projects have different Polarion work item type IDs. Each project can define its own domain model with the same entity names but different polarionType mappings.
  • Relationships vary by project. The global model can define the common traceability chain, while project-specific models add relationships unique to a given project.

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Sheet Configurations: Global vs Project

Sheet configurations define columns, views, formatters, sources, and styles. A global sheet configuration provides a standard layout that all projects can use, while project-specific configurations can tailor column visibility, column groups, or styling to local needs. The sources section of a sheet configuration references a domain model by name. If the model exists at both global and project level, the project-level model takes precedence for that project.

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Project-Specific Properties

Beyond YAML configuration files, Powersheet also reads project-level properties from Polarion’s configuration system. These properties control runtime behavior:
PropertyPurpose
Powersheet document queryLucene query identifying which documents appear in Powersheet Drive
Sheet configuration field IDCustom field linking documents to their configuration
Open button titleText displayed on the “Open in Powersheet” button
The exact override behavior when both a global and project-specific configuration share the same filename should be verified in your Powersheet installation, as resolution precedence may depend on the version.

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When to Use Each Scope

ScenarioRecommended Scope
Standard RTM traceability model used across all projectsGlobal
Organization-wide column layout for compliance viewsGlobal
Project with unique entity types not used elsewhereProject-specific
Experimenting with a new configuration before standardizingProject-specific
Adjusting polarionType mappings for a migrated projectProject-specific
KB ArticlesSource Code
  • prod-powersheet-src/com.nextedy.powersheet.client/cypress/e2e/admin/admin.cy.ts
  • prod-powersheet-src/com.nextedy.powersheet/src/com/nextedy/powersheet/enumProvider/SheetConfigEnumProvider.java
  • SaveTest.java
  • prod-powersheet-src/com.nextedy.powersheet/src/META-INF/hivemodule.xml
  • prod-powersheet-src/com.nextedy.powersheet.client/src/modules/DocumentProvider/DocumentProvider.tsx