Add External Reference Column - Nextedy Documentation

Verify the ExternalReference Entity Type

Open the data model for your sheet (Menu > Configuration > Edit Data Model). In the domainModelTypes section, confirm that ExternalReference is defined:

domainModelTypes:
  ExternalReference:

The ExternalReference entity type may already exist if it is used elsewhere in your model (for example, linked to verification or validation test cases).

Add the Relationship

In the relationships section of your data model, add a relationship from ExternalReference to the target entity. For example, to link external references to DesignRequirement:

relationships:
  - from: ExternalReference
    to: DesignRequirement
    cardinality: many-to-many
    storage: linkedWorkItems
    linkRole: relatesTo
    direct:
      name: designRequirement
    back:
      name: externalReferences

Because this relationship is backed by a Polarion work item link, set storage: linkedWorkItems and linkRole to the link role configured in the next step (for example, relatesTo). Without storage and linkRole, the relationship cannot traverse the underlying Polarion links and the column stays empty. The back.name value (externalReferences) becomes the expansion path used in the sources and column binding.

Configure the Link Role in Polarion

Go to Administration > Work Items > Enumerations in Polarion and open the workitem-link-role-enum.xml configuration (this is where work item link roles are defined). Verify that the link role (for example, relatesTo):

Can be created from externalReference to the target work item type (for example, designRequirement)
Is bidirectional (recommended)

This link role must match the linkRole value set on the relationship in the previous step.

Update the Sources Section

Open the sheet configuration (Menu > Configuration > Edit Sheet Configuration), locate the sources section, and add the externalReferences expansion under the appropriate entity:

sources:
  - model: rtm
    query:
      from: UserNeed
      where: "type = 'UserNeed'"
      take: 50
    expand:
      - name: systemRequirements
        expand:
          - name: systemRequirement
            expand:
              - name: designRequirements
                expand:
                  - name: designRequirement
                    expand:
                      - name: verificationTestCases
                        expand:
                          - name: verificationTestCase
                      - name: externalReferences
                        expand:
                          - name: externalReference

Each relationship navigation (the plural back.name, such as externalReferences) must be followed by a nested expand that names the related entity (the singular direct.name, such as externalReference). The externalReferences entry sits at the same level as other relationships on designRequirement.

Add the Column

In the same sheet configuration, define the column in the columns section using the full binding path through the entity hierarchy. Set multiItem: true to enable multi-reference picker behavior:

header: &blue
  style: blue

columns:
  systemRequirements.systemRequirement.designRequirements.designRequirement.externalReferences.externalReference:
    title: External References
    multiItem: true
    header: *blue
    minWidth: 200

The binding path specifies the full hierarchy from the root entity down to the externalReference entity. The YAML anchor &blue reuses a previously defined header style.

The column binding path must exactly mirror the expansion path defined in the sources section. A mismatch between expansion and column binding results in an empty column with no data.

Complete Example

sources:
  - model: rtm
    query:
      from: UserNeed
      where: "type = 'UserNeed'"
      take: 50
    expand:
      - name: systemRequirements
        expand:
          - name: systemRequirement
            expand:
              - name: designRequirements
                expand:
                  - name: designRequirement
                    expand:
                      - name: externalReferences
                        expand:
                          - name: externalReference

header: &blue
  style: blue

columns:
  outlineNumber:
    title: "#"
    width: 80
    isReadOnly: true
  title:
    title: Title
    width: "*"
    hasFocus: true
  systemRequirements.systemRequirement.designRequirements.designRequirement.externalReferences.externalReference:
    title: External References
    multiItem: true
    header: *blue
    minWidth: 200

Verify

After saving the sheet configuration, reload the powersheet document. You should now see a new column displaying external references linked to each design requirement. Users can select or add external references using the multi-reference picker in each cell.

​Verify the ExternalReference Entity Type

​Add the Relationship

​Configure the Link Role in Polarion

​Update the Sources Section

​Add the Column

​Complete Example

​Verify

​See also

Verify the ExternalReference Entity Type

Add the Relationship

Configure the Link Role in Polarion

Update the Sources Section

Add the Column

Complete Example

Verify

See also